They’re running a show about poetry on the radio, which drives me to share one of my favorite poems with anybody who has the misfortune to be within earshot. (Blogshot?)

Inside water a water wheel turns.
A star circulates with the moon.

We live in the night ocean wondering
What are these lights?

This is by Rumi, the 13th century founder of the Dervishes. He wrote some great poetry, very brief, approachable stuff that holds up well to the modern ear.

He also once cooked up a lengthy parable using a woman killed while having sex with a trained donkey as a metaphor for why spiritual enlightenment can be dangerous stuff. This parable doesn’t appear in most of the collections of his poetry for some unfathomable reason. You gotta admit, though, that’d sure liven up a sermon…