Rumi
Bridge to the Soul : Journeys into the Music and Silence of the Heart
(Author) Coleman Barks2007 is the "Year of Rumi," and who better than Coleman Barks, Rumi's unlikely, supremely passionate ambassador, to mark the milestone of this great poet's 800th birthday? Barks, who was recently awarded an honorary doctorate in Persian language and literature by the University of Tehran for his thirty years of translating Rumi, has collected and translated ninety new poems, most of them never published before in any form. The result is this beautiful edition titled Rumi: Bridge to the Soul. The "bridge" in the title is a reference to the Khajou Bridge in Isphahan, Iran, which Barks visited with Robert Bly in May of 2006—a trip that in many ways prompted this book. The "soul bridge" also suggests Rumi himself, who crosses cultures and religions and brings us all together to listen to his words, regardless of origin or creed. Open this book and let Rumi's poetry carry you into the interior silence and joy of the spirit, the place that unites conscious knowing with a deeper, more soulful understanding.
Coleman Barks
Coleman Barks is an American poet and translator best known for his interpretations of the 13th-century Persian poet Rumi. His translations of Rumi's works have brought the mystical and spiritual teachings of the Sufi poet to a wide audience in the English-speaking world. Barks' translations are known for their lyrical and accessible style, capturing the essence of Rumi's poetry while also infusing them with his own poetic sensibility. One of his most famous works is "The Essential Rumi," a collection of Rumi's poems translated by Barks. His contributions to literature have helped to popularize Rumi's poetry and teachings, making them more accessible to a contemporary audience.