Lalla-Naked-Song
Lalla lived in Kashmir in the 14th century, when many doctrinal streams were merging: Shaivism, sufism, Vedantic non-dualism, and other -isms, but Lalla is beyond religious categories, a living combination that cannot be described in those terms.
Lalla lived in Kashmir in the 14th century, when many doctrinal streams were merging: Shaivism, sufism, Vedantic non-dualism, and other -isms, but Lalla is beyond religious categories, a living combination that cannot be described in those terms.
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Soon you'll fall through,<br />
and these things you've valued<br />
and collected will be left behind.<br />
My sweet dear, do you understand this,<br />
and if you do, how does your food taste?<br />
* * *<br />
I am a wooden bow trying to shoot<br />
arrows made of flimsy grasses.<br />
I am an unskilled architect<br />
who's been asked to build<br />
a palace for the king.<br />
In the middle of the marketplace<br />
I am a shop with no lock on its door.<br />
I have no guide<br />
to show me the way.<br />
Life sinks down. We leave.<br />
We keep walking day and night,<br />
and come back where we began.<br />
There is some mysterious meaning<br />
in this, but what is it?<br />
* * *<br />
When will my shame fall away?<br />
When will I accept being mocked<br />
and let my robe of dignity burn up?<br />
When the wandering pony inside<br />
comes calm to my hand.<br />
My mouth got tired of saying words.<br />
My thumb and my forefinger wore<br />
smooth with telling beads,<br />
and still, my dear, this love<br />
feels the pull of another.
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