Cassandra Smith’s Reviews > The Essential Rumi > Status Update

“There’s no blocking the speechflow-river-running-
all-carrying momentum that true intimacy is.”

“When water gets caught in habitual whirlpools,
dig a way out through the bottom
to the ocean. There is a secret medicine
given only to those who hurt so hard
they can’t hope.

The hopers would feel slighted if they knew.”

“A bright weaver’s shuttle flashes back and forth,
east-west, Where-are-we? Ma ku? Maku.
like the sun saying Where are we?
as it weaves with the asking.”

“Last night the moon came dropping its clothes in the street.
I took it as a sign to start singing,
falling up into the bowl of sky.
The bowl breaks. Everywhere is falling everywhere.
Nothing else to do.

Here’s the new rule: break the wineglass,
and fall toward the glassblower’s breath.”