The Unseen Poems by Rumi

Last night I was reading from the poetry book The Unseen Poems by Rumi, the fourth collection of poetry that I have of his…Each from different translators. This is the one for those who enjoy a traditional setting, well-paced rhythm with some words that stand out, variations on the ghazal form of poetry, ones that build up with each end word repetition or line arrangement…

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I am not done reading these but had read plenty last night on the Eve of this poet’s 815th birthday today. Rumi’s signature or name to refer to himself in his poetry was Silence, so it’s time to let the poems settle and silence begin. 😀 For now, I love that this is a rare Rumi collection in that it contains a pretty commonly read English translation that is modern and also makes use of features of poetry from Rumi’s part of the world, like the repetition of an end word on each line, metered lines with a certain pace and rhythm, and a reference to whom Rumi is writing many of the poems…Shams of Tabriz.

The repetition adds playfulness to the tone and range of vocabulary while also creating a traditional air, much loved, feels true to the poet’s personality thru having read many collections by different translators. Also, the pocket feature is just the thing! (One of the Every Man Pocket Series that showcase different poets, this one just for Rumi.) And the hardcover edition comes with a little blue ribbon as a silky built in bookmark. 🙂

Where you can find the Unseen Poems.

Jade