Thank you very much, siljan for this poem from R A Nicholson. He of course, was one of the translators of Rumi’s poetry in the first half of last century. I was not aware that he was also a poet.

The Last Leaf

windless day;
dandelion seeds float by in
delicate parachutes

the rose bush;
for every flower a dozen
or more thorns

blood of my blood;
the world revolves around
this love I have for you!

the last leaf;
ask the autumn wind
when it will fall?

My heart goes out to you…

River of Love

O, river of love, river of love;
I’m parched and I’m dry,
and in need of a drink.

I’ve loved and I’ve lost
And I’m paying the cost,
Now nothing’s the same
as I used to think.

Wherever I go, whatever I do;
The things that I knew
and thought were true,
Seem but pretence
and no longer make sense;

O, river of love, won’t you
carry me away?
You tease and beguile
like a desert mirage,
Your face lies hidden
and camouflaged.

Your touch so soft
comes back to haunt,
And your memory so clear,
tempts and taunts…

River of love, O, river of love;
What have you done
and where are you gone?

Giver of mercy, giver of grace,
Please show me the way
to the River of Love!

A Few Words on the Power of Love…

the Word transforms
the doubtful seeker into
the incandescent
lover of God

the fine line
between truth and illusion
is laid bare by love

love is the essence,
spirit and soul of all
that exists

lovers build the house
of love while men of reason
and sceptics look on

to see is to believe
but to believe is to see,
to know and to be

every day is
new year’s day, every moment,
a brand new day

love comes with a sword
but also with a
soothing balm

The Beggar, the Undertaker and the Children

Well, the knock it came at a quarter to four,
Once, twice, three times on the big wooden door;
“Please give me something, preferably meat,
Nobody wants to starve, everybody wants to eat.”

The undertaker, grumbling, shifted his weight,
His stomach still rumbling from all that he ate;
“The sad truth it is, I’ve nothing to give,
Nobody wants to die, everybody wants to live!”

The beggar he shook his old grey head,
Saying, “Strong apple cider will do instead.
If business is bad,” he said with a wink,
“Nobody need be thirsty, everybody needs to drink.”

The undertaker scoffed, plainly vexed;
“Goodness gracious, what will it be next?
You come to my door this time every day,
To eat and to drink but you don’t want to pay!”

The beggar he turned and walked away,
And his tears became pearls with the light of the day.
Said the children that found them, there where they lay…
“Nobody wants the pearls, they’re throwing them away!”

The Mirror of God

God created soul
and then threw away
the mould

uncovering the secret way
soul has of being
with the mystery

the mirror of God
reflects the exact likeness
of that which we are

a single conscious
act of love, moves
the heavens up above

soul needs God, but God
needs soul too, and is constantly
calling it home

The Narcissist

The narcissist sits in his ivory tower,
Tending by night the rarest of flowers;
Fools fain to believe that the fates will permit,
And pass unnoticed, the crimes they commit,
Even as day approaches by the minute and hour!