Today, like every other day, we wake up empty by Rumi for National Poetry Month

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty by Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi
English version by Coleman Barks


Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down the dulcimer.

Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.


I originally read this on Poetry Chaikhana, which is a wonderful site of sacred poetry. You can read Ivan's commentary on this poem here.