It was thought that the gods blew on creative people, who would then inhale the god's breath and have an idea. This is the premise of "inspiration": inhaling divine breath and ideas.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Khalil Gibran and the magic of his words

Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"

And he answered saying:

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

Khalil Gibran

5 comments:

  1. This is one of my favourite poems. Khalil Gibran spins words like magic and brings us various designs of life. like when he says " Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.But let there be spaces in your togetherness". I realized that togetherness is not just being close to each other all the while. spaces in togetherness is significant. when our egos expand or contract its these spaces that compensate. and when he says "Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music." he touches upon importance of being independent of each other and the effect is similar to an elysium. my best lines are

    And stand together, yet not too near together:

    For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

    And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

    It says it all. To grow intellectually, emotionally and spiritually we need not be in each other's clutches. nothing can grow in a shadow...

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  2. You know, this poem can be the universal couples' reference. :)

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  3. i completely agree with u shruthi, its definately for a 'perfect happy' couple. but do check out the other parts of 'prophet' too... u will enjoy them thoroughly..

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  4. Have u read A tear and a smile? Even i am big time fan of Kahlil Gibran...

    I love his take on joy n sorrow.
    Speak to us abt joy n sorrow.

    And he answered
    Your joy is your sorrow unmasked
    And the selfsame well from where your laughter rises was often times filled with your tears.
    And how else can it be?
    The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain.
    Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
    And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
    When you are joyous look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
    When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and u shall see that in truth u are weeping for that which has been your delight.
    Some of u say"Joy is greater than sorrow", and others say,
    "Nay , sorrow is the greater".
    But I say unto you, they r inseparable.
    together they come, and when one sits alone with u at ur board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
    Verily u r suspended like scales btw your sorrow n your joy.
    Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
    When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

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  5. Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

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