A Hundred Wonderful Gifts

A Hundred Wonderful Gifts

The words of a true teacher can bring 
to my mind and soul
such nourishment and life,

like the way the valleys of the earth cup
their hands for light and drink;

like the way the desert opens up its sweet mouth,
and laughs, when someone melts pearls in the sky,
and rain, rain returns like a divine lover;

with a hundred wonderful gifts. 

        What would your 100 wonderful gifts be? Family? Friends? Kindness? Laughter? Dessert? A smile? A sunrise? A snowstorm? Another interesting question is "What has been your most meaningful purchase under $100?" I've always liked this question because it forces people to think of meaningful purchases apart from their home, their car, their vacation to XYZ, etc.

My List (2001), Toby Keith

I Saw You Dancing

I Saw You Dancing

I saw you dancing last night on the roof

of your house all alone.

I felt your heart longing for the

Friend.

I saw you whirling

beneath the soft bright rose

that hung from an invisible stem

in the sky,

So I began to change into my best clothes

in hopes of joining you.

Even though

I live a thousand miles away.

And if

you had spun like an immaculate sphere

just two more times,

Then bowed again so sweetly to

the east,

You would have found God and me

standing so near

and lifting you

into our arms.

I saw you dancing last night near the roof

of this world.

I want this yearning and intimacy that Hafiz speaks of. This entire poem is so beautiful. What a wonderful idea that two people can be so close, despite the distance of one thousand miles. There has never been an easy way to describe love, in part because it can astound you. Hafiz feels for the object of his affection so strongly despite the distance. That is incredibly astounding. 

The last line of this poem gets me every time: I saw you dancing near the roof of this world. That could mean so many things. Moreover, would you join him/her? 

The Color of Your Ocean Will Change

The Color of Your Ocean Will Change

It is possible that just a drop of dye from
a vial the Friend holds could change the color
of an ocean.

         This is not the poem in its entirety, however it reflects the context in which I originally read this verse. A good friend can change the sea inside you. Likewise, you can change another. Sometimes, you may not like these changes and grow apart. Hopefully though, you grow into a more beautiful color with someone by your side. I love the vibrant painting below, it showcases color.

Freshness of Cold by Leonid Afremov