I
The Dervish Way
1
Whoever is given the dervish path
may his posturing cease and may he shine.
May his breath musk and amber.
May whole cities and homelands
gather fruit from his branches.
May his leaves be healing herbs for the sick.
May much good work be done in his shadow.
May his tears become a clear lake.
May reeds sprout between his toes.
And among all the poets and nightingales
in the Friend's garden,
may Yunus hop like a partridge
2
If I told you about a land of love,
friend, would you follow me and come?
In that land are vineyards
that yield a deadly wine —
no glass can hold it.
Yould you swallow it as a remedy?
The people there must suffer.
Yould you serve the sweetest drink to others
and take the bitter drink yourself?
There are no moons or suns there.
Nothing waxes or wanes.
Would you surrender your plans
and forget about seductions?
Here we're made of water, earth, fire and air.
Yunus, tell us, is this what you're made of?
3
Ask those who know
what's this soul within the flesh?
Reality's own power.
What blood fills these veins?
Thought is an errand boy,
fear a mine of worries.
These sighs are love's clothing.
Who is the Khan on the throne?
Give thanks for His unity.
He created when nothing existed.
And since we are actually nothing.
what are possessions, houses, shops?
God sent us here
to come and see the worl.
This world itself is not everlasting.
What are all of Solomon's riches?
Ask Yunus and Taptuk
what the world means to them.
The world won't last.
What are You?
What am I?
4
We entered the house of realization
we witnissed the body.
The whirling skies, the many-layered earth,
the seventy-thousand veils
we found in the body.
The night and the day, the planets
the words inscribed on the Holy Tablets
the hill that Moses climbed, the Temple
and Israfil's trumpet, we observed in the body.
Torah, Psalms, Gospel, Quran—
what these books have to say
we found in the body.
Everybody says
these words of Yunus are true.
Truth is wherever you mant it.
We found it all within the body.
5
The drink went down from Truth
we drank it, glory be to God.
And we sailed over the Ocean of Power
glory be to God.
Beyond those hills and oak woods
beyond those vineyards and gardens
we passed in health and joy
glory be to God.
We were dry, but we moistened.
We grew wings and became birds
we married one another and flew
glory be to God.
To whatever lands we came
in whatever hearts, in all humanity
we planted the meanings Taptuk taught us
glory be to God.
Come here, let's make peace
let's not be strangers to one another.
We have saddled the horse and trained it
glory be to God.
We became a trickle that grew into a river.
We took flight and dove into the sea
and then we overflowed
glory be to God.
We came down to the valley for winter
we did some good and some bad things.
Now it's spring and we'll return
glory be to God.
We became servants at Taptuk's door.
Poor Yunus, raw and tasteless
finally got cooked
glory be to God.
6
Let's say the name of Allah all the time.
Let's see what my Lord does.
Let's travel the Way always.
Let's see what my Lord does.
Just when you least expect it
suddenly the veil is lifted.
The remedy arrives in time.
Let's see what my Lord does.
What did Yunus do?
What did he do?
He found a straight Path
held the hand of a guide.
Let's see what my Lord does.
7
The mature ones are a sea.
A lover is needed to take the plunge
a diver to bring up a pearl.
When you have brought
the pearl to the surface
a jeweler is needed to know its worth.
Stay on the road until you arrive.
Be speechless. Don't become a salesman.
Find an 'Ali to follow.
Muhammed knew Truth in himself.
Truth is present everywhere.
You only need eyes to see it.
Ask your daily sustenance from Truth
the only Apportioner.* Find someone
who is master of his ego.
The lovers asked me to sing.
Someone without greed is needed
to complete what is started.
Sufi, who are you kidding?
Can anyone but Truth
satisfy a human need?
Truth's place is in the heart.
There's a verse in the Quran —
In the soul love has a tower
higher than the throne of Creation.
I've gone crazy on this Way.
I can't tell day from night.
The arrow of Love has pieced my heart.
Come, poor Yunus come,
hold the hands of the mature.
In their humility is a cure.
* Quran Sura XLIII, 32...
8
Our laws are different from other laws.
Our religion is like no other.
It is different from the seventy-two sects.
We are guided by different signs
in this workd and hereafter.
Without the cleansing of visible waters
without any movement of hands, feet
or head, we worship.
Wether at the Kaaba*
in the mosque or in ritual prayer
everyone carries their own disease.
Which labels refer to whom
no one really knows.
Tomorrow it will be clear
who abandonned the religion.
Yunus, renew your soul
be remembered as a friend
Know this power.
Listen with the ears of love.
* Kaaba: An ancient black cube in Mecca and the focal point of the
Islamic Pilgrimage or Hajj.
9
Let the deaf listen to the mute.
A soul is needed to understand them both.
Without listening we understood.
Without understanding we carried it out.
On this Way
the seeker's wealth is poverty
We loved, we became lovers.
We were loved, we became beloved.
When all is perishing moment by moment
who has time to be bored?
God divided His people
into Seventy-two languages and borders
But poor Yunus fills the earth and sky
and under every stone hides a Moses.
10
I haven't come here to settle down.
I've come here to depart.
I am a merchant with lots of goods
selling to whoever will buy.
I didn't come to create any problems
I'm only here to love.
A Heart makes a good home for the Friend.
I've come do build some hearts.
I'm a little drunk from this Friendship —
Any lover would know the shape I'm in.
IMve come to exchange my twoness
to disappear in One.
He is my teacher, I am His servant.
I am a nightingale in His garden.
I've come to the Teacher's garden
to be happy and die singing.
They say "Souls which know each other here
know each other there."
I've come to know a Teacher
and to show myself as I am.
11
A single word can brighten the face
of one who knows the value of words.
Ripened in silence, a single word
acquires a great energy for work.
War is cut short by a word
and a word heals the wounds
and there's a word that changes poison
into butter and honey.
Let a word mature inside yourself.
Withhold the unripened thought.
Come and understand the kind of word
that reduces money and riches to dust.
Know when to speak a word
and when not to speak at all.
A single word turns a universe of hell
into eight paradises.
Follow the Way. Don't be fooled
by wyat you already know.
Be watchful.
Reflect before you speak.
A foolish mouth can brand your soul.
Yunus, say one last thing
about the power of words —
Only the word "I"
divides me from God.
12
Dervishood tells me
you cannot become a dervish
So what can I tell you?
You cannot become a dervish.
A dervish needs a wounded heart
and eyes full of tears.
He needs to be as easy going as a sheep.
You can't be a dervish.
He must be without hands
when someone hits him.
He must be tongueless when cursed.
A dervish needs to be without any desire.
You can't be a dervish.
You make a lot of sounds
with your tongue, meaningful things.
You get angry about this and that
you can't be a dervish.
If it were all right to be angry on this path
Muhammed himself would have gotten angry.
Because of your anger
You can't be a dervish.
Unless you find a real path
unless you find a guide
unless Truth grants you your portion
You can't be a dervish.
Therefore, dervish Yunus, come
dive into the ocean now and then.
Unless you dive in the ocean
You cannot be a dervish.