April 2, 2007

Self-Portrait-Body Parts- Garment of Flesh and Bone

Here is the prompt for this month's Self-Portrait Challenge:

For April I think we need a challenge…a tighter parameter and to connect with ourselves, our physical selves. I think this might be challenge for many and for others it might be easy. Whatever the case I want everyone to challenge themselves - push their boundaries and limits. photograph your good bits, bad bits, wobbly bits and sexy bits. photograph it all and show us your body. - I don’t expect to see any traditional portraits, no pretty faces or full body shots, rather bits and extracts of your self.

Everyday I meditate upon this, and every night I groan
Why is my own existence to myself the least known?

Whence have I come, why this coming here?
Where to must I go, when will my home to me be shown?

I am in desperate awe, why was I ever created?
For this, my creation, whatsoever was the reason?

Whatever is of the celestial realm, of that I speak
I am ready to go, my clothes are packed to be away thrown.

Why, take me to the tavern of that mighty King
I am drunk of that aroma, only by that wind may be blown

Joyous be that day that in search of the beloved
I take wing towards that land, upon that air I am flown.

Where is that ear that can hear my speech and song?
Who is the one who puts voice in this mouth of dust and stone?

Who is in these eyes through which gazes out to see?
Who is the one who wears this garment of flesh and bone?

Until I am lead without a doubt to my way home,
I will hold my breath, will only complain and moan.

Let me taste the wine of eternal communion
Cry out in drunkenness, intoxicated, broken, alone.

I did not come here on my own accord, nor will I thus leave
He who brought me here, shall return me to my very own.

Think not that I write these verses in a sober state
If sober, such seeds I could not possibly have sown.

Shams-e Tabriz, if you show not your face here and now
My earthly corpse, by God, I shall surely disown.

Between my beloved and I this is the only veil
It is time to unveil and disrobe the light that brightly shone

With extreme joy I tear and shred my earthly garment
By casting of my clothes, into the glory of my soul I’ve grown.

I wear this earthly corps for what use, to what avail?
I am not a cawing crow, of heavenly birds is my tone

I am a bird of Paradise, I am not of the earthy realm
For a few days imprisoned in my cage of flesh and bone.

My soul is my guide, for my soul is of that abode
I will not speak of the earthly, I am of the unknown.

The fragrant morning breeze brings news of union
With joy and with song I’ll leave this cage, this earthly throne.

Rumi

11 comments:

  1. Such a mix of emotions were evoked by this photo.

    Powerful

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  2. another superior photo. I love the contrasts and lighting.

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  3. striking. all of this post struck me. brilliant rumi. intimate, sensual, fabulous photo.

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  4. Nice close up! Hey -- why didn't you and JC send the other guy in SPC the memo that we were supposed to post a nip-pic this week??

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  5. I didn't know you did a similar photo until Jeremy clued me in. I guess they're only so many body parts. Your photo is much better than mine, and your thoughts a bit more profound!

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  6. Beautiful. At first I thought maybe you had written the words...and then it started to sink in that it was older than that...and then it was this sort of anticipation for the end to find out who wrote it. :) Well, at least for me. I like the things you post. You are very real.

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  7. I must admit my first thought was "ouch." :-) But my immediate second thought was that this is a fabulous photo. Love the sense of light you've captured here.

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  8. ahh, Rumi walks well with me. Thanks for posting that.

    Erotic and evocative photo.

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  9. Ah, Rumi, one of the finest Persian poets ever.

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