The Complete idiot's guide to Rumi Meditations

Poetry has been one of the most common vehicles for expressing wisdom and cultural knowledge throughout human history. When words
are strung together like pearls on a golden chain of rhyme and rhythm,they float much more easily into the heart and mind than mere lectur
ing. Moreover, when a weighty message is carried on the gentle stream of a poem, it’s unthreatening, easy to remember, and a delight to hear.

We are, in fact, creatures attuned to poetry! Some of the greatest religious works of antiquity, such as the Psalms, the Qur’an, the Tao Te Ching, and others, use poetry to get their message across. When religion and poetry get married, the children can turn out to be truly beautiful! Now think of some of the best-loved stories that have survived through the ages, compositions as diverse as Homer’s Odyssey or the Canterbury Tales. They were poetic in form and held a wide audience enthralled to their tales. Emily Dickenson, Robert Frost, and even some modern songwriters have the same effect on us today. Poetry as an art form seems to bring light for its own sake into our otherwise ordinary existence!