The Guest House
Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi 1207 (Balkh) – 1273 (Konya )
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 02, 2023
- 29 sec read
- 1,001 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | AX BCD XXADXXX BXX CXX |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 525 |
Words | 96 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 2, 3, 7, 3, 3 |
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"The Guest House" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/28064/the-guest-house>.
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