So begins the irresistible invitation of this exquisite volume—a call from one of the world’s most beloved poets to join him in exploring love, both human and divine, with all its ecstasy, suffering, and beauty. Rumi—the Persian mystic who lived and wrote in 13th-century Turkey—has become America’s most widely read poet, and these verses draw on two of the richest symbols in his Sufi tradition: the rose and the rose garden. The rose evokes both a high spiritual state and a visionary ecstasy, while the garden embraces all the world’s glories. Renowned scholar Andrew Harvey and award-winning photographer Lekha Singh have cultivated a fine balance of word and image to bring Rumi’s lines to life, pairing sumptuous color images with original translations of his transcendent writings.

Persian Farsi collection.

Aiso Library Poetry month selection