Love Dogs ― by Rumi
“One night a man was crying,
Allah! Allah!
His lips grew sweet with the praising,
until a cynic said,
“So! I have heard you
calling out, but have you ever
gotten any response?”
The man had no answer to that.
He quit praying and fell into a confused sleep.
He dreamed he saw Khidr, the guide of souls,
in a thick, green foliage.
“Why did you stop praising?”
“Because I’ve never heard anything back.”
“This longing
you express is the return message.”
The grief you cry out from
draws you toward union.
Your pure sadness
that wants help
is the secret cup.
Listen to the moan of a dog for its master.
That whining is the connection.
There are love dogs
no one knows the names of.
Give your life
to be one of them.”
I have interpreted this differently than Krishna Das
- Merely chanting does not help
- The guide or Guru appeared when he stopped chanting. Why? He has given up his personal effort. He was confused. He truly wanted help and guidance. It was an urgent wish from the depth of a heart in agony wanting to know the truth
- Give your life to be one of them! Here the word life has been used as a secret pun. He said life not living. People think it means giving up your food home etc. GOD wants you. The true you. Not your living
- If you have a hard time differentiating the two, that’s OK. When worldly attachment from the heart goes away then it becomes very clear
Bhavin