Without the eyes...

Rumi

Without the eyes - two clouds - the lightning of the heart:
The fire of God's threat, how could it be allayed?
How would the herbage grow of union, sweet to taste?
How would the fountains all gush forth with water pure?
How would the rosebed tell its secret to the meadow?
How would the violet make contracts with jasmine?
How would the plane tree lift its hands in prayer, say?
How would the trees' heads toss free in the air of Love?
How would the blossoms shake their sleeves in days of spring
To shed their lovely coins about the garden wide?
How would the tulip's cheek be red like flames and blood?
How would the rose draw out its gold now from its purse?
How would the ringdoves call like seekers, "Where, oh where?"
How would the stork repeat his laklak from his soul,
To say: "O Helper high, Thine is the kingdom, Thine!"
How would the dust reveal the secrets of its heart?
How would the sky become a garden full of light?

* * *

“ These spiritual window-shoppers,
Who idly ask, 'How much is that?'; 'Oh, I'm just looking.'
They handle a hundred items and put them down,
Shadows with no capital.

What is spent is love and two eyes wet with weeping.
But these walk into a shop,
And their whole lives pass suddenly in that moment,
In that shop.

Where did you go? 'Nowhere.'
What did you have to eat? 'Nothing much.'

Even if you don't know what you want,
Buy something to be part of the exchanging flow.

Start a huge, foolish project,
Like Noah.

It makes absolutely no difference
What people think of you.”

* * *

"Look not at Time's events, which come from the spheres and make life so disagreeable.
Look not at this lack of daily bread and the means of livelihood.
Look not at this famine and fear and trembling and war and destruction."

...

"Look at this: In spite of all the world's bitterness, you are passionately and shamelessly attached to it.
Know that bitter tribulation is a Mercy!
Know that possessing the empire of Marv and Balkh is a Vengeance.
The cruelty of time and of every suffering that exists is easier than distance from God and forgetfulness.
For that cruelty will pass, but distance from Him will not pass.
No one possesses good fortune but he who takes to Him an aware spirit."

* * *

Love is the One who masters all things;
I am mastered totally by Love.
By my passion of love for Love
I have ground sweet as sugar.
O furious Wind, I am only a straw before you;
How could I know where I will be blown next?
Whoever claims to have made a pact with Destiny
Reveals himself a liar and a fool;
What is any of us but a straw in a storm?
How could anyone make a pact with a hurricane?
God is working everywhere his massive Resurrection;
How can we pretend to act on our own?
In the hand of Love I am like a cat in a sack;
Sometimes Love hoists me into the air,
Sometimes Love flings me into the air,
Love swings me round and round His head;
I have no peace, in this world or any other.
The lovers of God have fallen in a furious river;
They have surrendered themselves to Love's commands.
Like mill wheels they turn, day and night, day and night,
Constantly turning and turning, and crying out.