the bird
From the book "One hundred poems of Kabir"
XXX - II. 95. yd tarvar men eh pakheru
On this tree is a bird : it dances in the joy of life.
None knows where it is: and who knows what the burden of its music may be ?
Where the branches throw a deep shade, there does it have its nest: and it comes in the evening and flies away in the morning, and says not a word of that which it means.
None tell me of this bird that sings within me.
It is neither coloured nor colourless:
it has neither form nor outline :
It sits in the shadow of love.
It dwells within the Unattainable, the Infinite, and the Eternal; and no one marks when it comes and goes.
deep is the mystery. Let wise men seek to know where rests that bird.”
Kabir says : “ O brother Sadhu ! deep is the mystery. Let wise men seek to know where rests that bird.”
Upon reading this poem, I couldn't help but remember about the bird in the cage in one of my favorite books written by Hermann Hesse. I think that the bird is a wonderful symbol to represent the voice within, but not only the voice that guides us... this is also about the symphony of our Inner Realm, that place of stillness where all the love, truth and Harmony can be found...where the inner gold and treasure is retrieved... a wonderful place where Peace is always present. Oh, but we touch upon that more often then we realize, because we are not fully conscious of what that is, we have yet to remember.
#poems #kabir