Many Hoped
Many hoped
but no one found
Hari's heart.
Where do the senses rest?
Where do the Ram-chanters go?
Where do the bright ones go?
Corpses: all gone
to the same place.
Drunk on the juice
of Ram's bliss,
Kabir says,
I've said and I've said,
I'm tired of saying.
Related quotes
Whipped
Is there anything that can help me let go
I’m tired of crying down this road
I’m young should I feel this old
I’m tired of being split
I’m tired of feeling whipped
I’m tired of not knowing what’s right
I’m tired of looking for this light
I’m tired of living wrong
I’m tired of crying to this repeating sad song
I’m tired of wrong feeling so right
I’m tired of fighting with all my might
I’m tired of hoping friends will be by my side
I’m tired of my feelings I hide
I’m tired of no one picking up the phone
I’m tired of being home
I’m tired of the sun
I’m tired of the moon
I’m tired of thinking what to do
I’m tired of you
All I ever think of is hope
And all I ever heard is have faith
I feel fragile like an old piece of rope
And know I did nothing but disgrace
I hoped to be a good man
I hoped to have a plan
I hoped to be the one
I hoped to have some fun
I hoped life was easer than they say
I hoped home was where I lay
I hoped I always knew right
I hoped I would always fight
I hoped me was the one you see
I hoped true love would always be
I hoped I didn’t need to rest
I hoped life meant happiness
Hope and faith are strong words
They fly away easy like birds
Does one ever know where they stand?
Its harder than I thought to be a man
I remember being young and free
I remember trying to be me
I remember when I first fell in love
I remember hearing the sound of a dove
I remember being young wishing I was old
I remember trying to live out side the mold
I remember when I would dream
I remember when it was all about me
I remember when I wanted to be where I am
I remember that meant I needed to be man
I remember when life was fun
I remember shooting out like a gun
I remember love was a rush
I remember the first time I was crushed
I remember doing and not thinking
I remember doing nothing but drinking
I remember trying to make my tears dry
I remember the feeling of telling a lie
I remember when the world was at my feet
I remember the feeling of being beat
I remember being ashamed of who I am
I remember at one time I knew where I stand
Memory is a gift or is it a curse
It showed you at your best and at your worse
Time is something that should be taken slowly
I don’t want to be old and lonely
I know not to always follow my gut
I know ill always be in this rut
I know tomorrow will come
I know yesterday is gone
I know I will run
I know I am wrong
I know ill live
I know ill die
I know not to ask why
poem by Lesten WhitePigeon
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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To what shore would you cross
To what shore would you cross,
O my heart?
there is no traveller before you,
there is no road:
Where is the movement,
where is the rest,
on that shore?
There is no water; no boat, no boatman, is there;
There is not so much as a rope to tow the boat, nor a man to draw it.
No earth, no sky, no time, no thing, is there: no shore, no ford!
There, there is neither body nor mind:
and where is the place that shall still the thirst of the soul?
You shall find naught in that emptiness.
Be strong, and enter into your own body:
for there your foothold is firm.
Consider it well,
O my heart!
go not elsewhere,
Kabîr says: 'Put all imaginations away,
and stand fast in that which you are.'
The Light of the Sun
THE light of the sun, the moon,
and the stars shines bright:
The melody of love swells forth,
and the rhythm of love's detachment beats the time.
Day and night, the chorus of music fills the heavens;
and Kabîr says 'My Beloved One gleams like the lightning flash in the sky.'
Do you know how the moments perform their adoration?
Waving its row of lamps,
the universe sings in worship day and night,
There are the hidden banner and the secret canopy:
There the sound of the unseen bells is heard.
Kabîr says: 'There adoration never ceases;
there the Lord of the Universe sitteth on His throne.'
The whole world does its works and commits its errors:
but few are the lovers who know the Beloved.
The devout seeker is he who mingles in his heart
the double currents of love and detachment,
like the mingling of the streams of Ganges and Jumna;
In his heart the sacred water flows day and night;
and thus the round of births and deaths is brought to an end.
Behold what wonderful rest is in the Supreme Spirit!
and he enjoys it, who makes himself meet for it.
Held by the cords of love,
the swing of the Ocean of Joy sways to and fro;
and a mighty sound breaks forth in song.
See what a lotus blooms there without water!
and Kabîr says 'My heart's bee drinks its nectar.'
What a wonderful lotus it is,
that blooms at the heart of the spinning wheel of the universe!
Only a few pure souls know of its true delight.
Music is all around it,
and there the heart partakes of the joy of the Infinite Sea.
Kabîr says: 'Dive thou into that Ocean of sweetness:
thus let all errors of life and of death flee away.'
Behold how the thirst of the five senses is quenched there!
and the three forms of misery are no more!
Kabîr says: 'It is the sport of the Unattainable One:
look within, and behold how the moon-beams
of that Hidden One shine in you.'
There falls the rhythmic beat of life and death:
Rapture wells forth, and all space is radiant with light.
There the Unstruck Music is sounded;
it is the music of the love of the three worlds.
There millions of lamps of sun and of moon are burning;
There the drum beats, and the lover swings in play.
There love-songs resound, and light rains in showers;
and the worshipper is entranced in the taste of the heavenly nectar.
Look upon life and death; there is no separation between them,
The right hand and the left hand are one and the same.
Kabîr says: 'There the wise man is speechless;
for this truth may never be found in Vadas or in books.'
I have had my Seat on the Self-poised One,
I have drunk of the Cup of the Ineffable,
I have found the Key of the Mystery,
I have reached the Root of Union.
Travelling by no track,
I have come to the Sorrowless Land:
very easily has the mercy of the great Lord come upon me.
They have sung of Him as infinite and unattainable:
but I in my meditations have seen Him without sight.
That is indeed the sorrowless land,
and none know the path that leads there:
Only he who is on that path has surely transcended all sorrow.
Wonderful is that land of rest,
to which no merit can win;
It is the wise who has seen it,
it is the wise who has sung of it.
This is the Ultimate Word:
but can any express its marvellous savour?
He who has savoured it once,
he knows what joy it can give.
Kabîr says: 'Knowing it,
the ignorant man becomes wise,
and the wise man becomes speechless and silent,
The worshipper is utterly inebriated,
His wisdom and his detachment are made perfect;
He drinks from the cup of the inbreathings and the outbreathings of love.'
There the whole sky is filled with sound,
and there that music is made without fingers and without strings;
There the game of pleasure and pain does not cease.
Kabîr says: 'If you merge your life in the Ocean of Life,
you will find your life in the Supreme Land of Bliss.'
What a frenzy of ecstasy there is in every hour!
and the worshipper is pressing out and drinking the essence of the hours:
he lives in the life of Brahma.
I speak truth, for I have accepted truth in life;
I am now attached to truth,
I have swept all tinsel away.
Kabîr says: 'Thus is the worshipper set free from fear;
thus have all errors of life and of death left him.'
There the sky is filled with music:
There it rains nectar:
There the harp-strings jingle,
and there the drums beat.
What a secret splendour is there,
in the mansion of the sky!
There no mention is made of the rising and the setting of the sun;
In the ocean of manifestation,
which is the light of love,
day and night are felt to be one.
Joy for ever, no sorrow,-no struggle!
There have I seen joy filled to the brim, perfection of joy;
No place for error is there.
Kabîr says: 'There have I witnessed the sport of One Bliss! '
I have known in my body the sport of the universe:
I have escaped from the error of this world..
The inward and the outward are become as one sky,
the Infinite and the finite are united:
I am drunken with the sight of this All!
This Light of Thine fulfils the universe:
the lamp of love that burns on the salver of knowledge.
Kabîr says: 'There error cannot enter,
and the conflict of life and death is felt no more.'
When I found the boundless knowledge
Kabir:
My mind was soothed
When I found the boundless knowledge,
And the fires
that scorch the world
To me are water cool.
Kabir reads 'Kabir
See this fine manuscript
so beautifully illuminated round the picture –
why, it’s none other than Kabir!
reading a book entitled The Poems of Kabir;
he’s smiling, laughing, waving his hands –
how can he be enjoying himself so much?
The manuscript doesn’t tell you this;
only Kabir can tell you, in that other place..
of all the poems, he only recognises two
as poems that he wrote himself..
but here’s Kabir’s delight today:
many of the other poems, he thinks,
are good enough to be his!
How wonderful to be so praised in spirit!
As he reads – see, he’s circled round with angels;
they’re all laughing too.
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Kabir reading 'Kabir
See this fine manuscript
so beautifully illuminated round the picture –
why, it’s none other than Kabir!
reading a book entitled The Poems of Kabir;
he’s smiling, laughing, waving his hands –
how can he be enjoying himself so much?
The manuscript doesn’t tell you this;
only Kabir can tell you, in that other place..
of all the poems, he only recognises two
as poems that he wrote himself..
but here’s Kabir’s delight today:
many of the other poems, he thinks,
could pass for his!
How wonderful to be so praised in spirit!
As he reads – see, he’s circled round with angels;
they’re all laughing too.
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Mata Hari
The seductive spy was Mata Hari.
Born in 1876, in Netherlands,
Found guilty of spying for Germany
By the French, she was executed
At her forty one, notwithstanding her beauty.
Mata Hari, the exotic dancer,
Was not pure but might have been innocent.
Though a whore, an international woman,
She had been known as in a euphemism.
An insatiable hunger for male attention.
Propelled by her sexual drive to slave men,
She lost her virginity to her Head Master.
Her prey were mostly military giants
In whom she found strong arms and
Whom she found gallant and sweet.
A female fatale that she was,
The one who ordered for her execution
Must have been an impotent.
She had rocked Europe and wrecked heads,
With no one to rock her cradle nor her heart.
12.08.2007
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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You Alone Are The Beginning
You alone are the beginning, the middle, and the end!
You alone, you alone, Sri Hari!
You are the indivisiblebr ahman,
Who even the likes of Brahma cannot fathom
And the misled men search elsewhere!
Millions of suns and moons dwell in your moonlike face,
Where the seeking eyes of men never reach
And just like the darkness,
which loses against the effulgent blaze of the sun
'Neti! Neti! ' the Scriptures vainly preach!
You alone are the beginning, the middle, and the end!
You alone, you alone, Sri Hari!
The Lord of the Earth is the Lord of million million universes
The million million universes are like pores of his skin!
Saguna is a mere guise of Nirguna!
You can shatter the veil of Illusion, once you grasp this Mystery!
You alone are the beginning, the middle, and the end!
You alone, you alone, Sri Hari!
Yet he is not alone, he is not distinct from his creation,
Which is his all-encompassing energy!
Sri Krishna is without the beginning,
Total bliss is his nature and Radha his ravishing beloved!
You alone are the beginning, the middle, and the end!
You alone, you alone, Sri Hari!
None knows the secret of the Vedas,
And hardly few know their essence,
Like Suka, Sanak and the divine minstrel Narada
Who meditate on the Absolutebr ahman!
You alone are the beginning, the middle, and the end!
You alone, you alone, Sri Hari!
The AbsolutePur us hott ama passionately plays as his lovers plead!
And by being his girlfriend, Narsinh relishes the very nectar
The women of Vraj so delightfully revel in!
You alone are the beginning, the middle, and the end!
You alone, you alone, Sri Hari!
poem by Narsinh Mehta
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Orange juice kiss
A circle of dried, sweet orange juice
Finger to mouth, the taste memories seduce
Memories of that sweet orange juice kiss
Thoughts race to the past and days of bliss
The giggling young angel standing at the bedside
The past and the present, emotions collide
Those glorious hours playing in the park
Warm sunny days before the onset of dark
When long summer day’s end and it’s time to rest
Sweet angel climbs up and lays head on my chest
If there’s one memory that brings me this bliss
It’s the memory of that sweet orange juice kiss
poem by Brian 'Peza' Perrins
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I Have Attained The Eternal Bliss
I have attained the Eternal Bliss.
There is no time for sorrow or pain,
for now I enjoy singing His glory.
The tree of His pleasure has neither root, nor seed,
as revealed by the grace of the true Guru.
Now there is effulgence of a million suns,
my swan has dipped in the lake of His knowledge.
Says Kabir, listen, O wise brother,
Now comings and goings have come to an end.
Friend, Wake Up! Why Do You Go On Sleeping?
Friend, wake up! Why do you go on sleeping?
The night is over— do you want to lose the day
the same way?
Other women who managed to get up early have
already found an elephant or a jewel...
so much was lost already while you slept...
and that was so unnecessary!
The one who loves you understood, but you did not.
You forgot to make a place in your bed next to you.
Instead you spent your life playing.
In your twenties you did not grow
because you did not know who your Lord was.
Wake up! Wake up! There's no one in your bed—
He left you during the long night.
Kabir says: The only woman awake is the woman
who has heard the flute!
Odds And Ends (1)
by Bob Dylan
I plan it all and I take my place
You break your promise all over the place
You promised to love me, but what do I see
Just you comin' and spillin' juice over me
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again
Now, you take your file and you bend my head
I never can remember anything that you said
You promised to love me, but what do I know
You're always spillin' juice on me like you got someplace to go
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again
Now, I've had enough, my box is clean
You know what I'm sayin' and you know what I mean
From now on you'd best get on someone else
While you're doin' it, keep that juice to yourself
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Two birds on the same tree
Two birds rest on the same tree;
their eyes are bright;
they look alike; yet one
is the Teacher; one the Student;
the Student tastes all the many fruits
upon that tree; the Teacher sits, just watches,
filled with love and pride;
the eyes of both are bright;
when the Student has tasted all,
the Teacher asks what has been learnt; for
only the Teacher knows within their heart:
that now the Student is the teacher;
the Teacher listens as a student;
the Student speaks now as a teacher
who has learned this of themself;
the Teacher’s eyes are bright:
knowing that to live it through
shows the knowledge to be true;
the Student is teaching the Teacher now, of
how to teach; the Teacher glows to know
the Student may surpass the Teacher;
knowledge shines from both their eyes;
who is the more glorious of these two
who share both the same name?
who rejoice to need the other;
who rejoice to be the other;
now they are silent; now the tree’s rejoicing too;
Its roots above; its fruits below;
its leaves, a shelter;
its branches, home.
*
[ Leaning on a poem of Kabir: Indian readers will be familiar with
'two birds in a tree' as a metaphor for acting with detachment; Kabir takes this further, into knowledge gained from wise action...]
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Odds & Ends
I plan it all and I take my place
You break your promise all over the place
You promised to love me, but what do I see
Just you comin and spillin juice over me
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again
Now, you take your file and you bend my head
I never can remember anything that you said
You promised to love me, but what do I know
Youre always spillin juice on me like you got someplace to go
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again
Now, Ive had enough, my box is clean
You know what Im sayin and you know what I mean
From now on youd best get on someone else
While youre doin it, keep that juice to yourself
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Bliss
Ah, in just a sudden dunk of desires
This soul whole lost and mires
What if bewaring of fugacious the desires
Itself ere death, cerebrate higher empires..
Numbered down to naught desires whole lot
Itself ere death means bliss blissful a lot
What if differing human, his animal fought..?
Born a spiritual birth blissful, is it not?
And his bliss is his'I', his 'heart' all true
But in empyrean harmony his senses accrue
Temperamental satiety erstwhile all through
In dissipation his senses but to wake in bliss new
poem by Indira Renganathan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Bride-Soul
When will that day dawn, Mother;
When the One I took birth for
Holds me to His heart with deathless love?
I long for the bliss of divine union.
I long to lose my body, mind, and soul
And become one with my husband.
When will that day dawn, Mother?
Husband, fulfil now the longing I have had
Since before the universe was made.
Enter me completely and release me.
In terrible lonely years without You
I yearn and yearn for You.
I spend sleepless nights hunting for You,
Gazing into darkness after You,
With unblinking hopeless eyes.
When will that day dawn, Mother?
When will my Lord hold me to His heart?
My empty bed, like a hungry tigress,
Devours me whenever I try to sleep.
Listen to your slave's prayer -
Come and put out this blaze of agony
That consumes my soul and body.
When will He hold me to His heart?
When will that day dawn, Mother?
Kabir sings, "If I ever meet You, my Beloved,
I'll cling to you so fiercely You melt into me;
I'll sing from inside You songs of union,
World-dissolving songs of Eternal Bliss."
When you were born in this world - Dohas II
When you were born in this world
Everyone laughed while you cried
Conduct NOT yourself in manner such
That they laugh when you are gone
Kabir's mind got cleansed like the holy Ganges water
Now everyone follows, saying Kabir Kabir
Guru the washer man, disciple is the cloth
The name of God liken to the soap
Wash the mind on foundation firm
To realize the glow of Truth
Alive one sees, alive one knows
Thus crave for salvation when full of life
Alive you did not cut the noose of binding actions
Hoping liberation with death!
Inexpressible is the story of Love
It cannot be revealed by words
Like the dumb eating sweet-meat
Only smiles, the sweetness he cannot tell
Worry is the bandit that eats into one's heart
What the doctor can do, what remedy to impart?
Says Kabir
Don't be so proud and vain
Looking at your high mansion
Death makes one lie on bare land
And grass will grow thereon
Says Kabir
Don't be so proud and vain
The clutches of Time are dark
Who knows where shall it kill
Whether at home or abroad
Says Kabir
By my doing nothing happens
What I don't does come to pass
If anything happens as if my doing
Then truly it is done by someone else
Like the pupil in the eyes
The Lord resides inside
Ignorant do not know this fact
They search Him outside
First the pangs of separation
Next grows the thirst for Love
Says Kabir then only hope
The union to materialize
Is Your Smile a Clue?
I am not here because there is nothing else to do.
I am here because of you...
Wanting to be near.
Knowing you do not have fears to become your best!
Your heart gives me a place to come to rest.
I feel connected.
I am not here to take but give.
I want us to share the lives we live.
There are rough edges...
And I am not that tough!
You can tell me when you have had enough.
And I will leave you with space...
But not too far to erase you from my heart.
There may be more growing up I must do.
Will you witness it with assistance?
If I insist and persist no one but you,
Can deliver to me this bliss!
I admit doing it will not seem complete...
Without you to approve.
Being in bliss alone...
Is not the bliss I would miss,
If it is not with us as one in it!
And I am not here,
Because there is nothing else to do.
I am here because of you...
Wanting to be near.
Wishing we not fear but endear one another.
Is your smile a clue,
You have thoughts like that too?
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Oh Friend, I Love You, Think This Over
Oh friend, I love you, think this over
carefully! If you are in love,
then why are you asleep?
If you have found him,
give yourself to him, take him.
Why do you lose track of him again and again?
If you are about to fall into heavy sleep anyway,
why waste time smoothing the bed
and arranging the pillows?
Kabir will tell you the truth: this is what love is like:
suppose you had to cut your head off
and give it to someone else,
what difference would that make?
Hang Up The Swing Of Love Today!
Hang the body and the mind between the arms of the beloved,
in the ecstasy of love's joy:
Bring the tearful streams of the rainy clouds to your eyes,
and cover your heart with the shadow of darkness:
Bring your face nearer to his ear,
and speak of the deepest longings of your heart.
Kabir says: 'Listen to me brother!
bring the vision of the Beloved in your heart.'