The Master Sings, Meher Baba's Ghazals. This is a collection of ten ghazals written and frequently sung by Meher Baba in the early 1920's, translated by Naosherwan Anzar.
At Least Sometimes, a ghazal by Meher Baba, was dictated to Bhau Kalchuri in Hindi; he translated it into English, adding the four lines which are marked by asterisks (*). The following poems were also translated by Bhau. The ghazal, Oh Beloved Master, was written during the 1920s. The Beloved's Poem On His Dhuni was composed in celebration of the Sacred Fire which he kindled from time to time, usually in Meherabad.
Bhau Kalchuri is a member of Meher Baba's Mandali, or Inner Circle.
About Meher Sarod he writes, "It was Meher Baba Himself who taught me how to write ghazals and gave me the inspiration to write.... Meher Baba Himself titled this book and arranged for its publication in Hindi just a few months before He dropped His mortal body to leave behind His immortal words. Meher Baba must be acknowledged foremost for He is the very Source of everything contained in this book of poems."
About Meher Roshani he writes, "These ghazals express the voice of the heart, the pain of separation, the longing for Union, the attitude of the Beloved, and the game of love between the lover and the Beloved.
"When Baba was physically present, whatever I would write I would read aloud to Him. But when He was no longer physically present, my tears sang these ghazals to Him, and my tears merged with His Silence."
One of Bhauji's early ghazal-like poems is called Nothing Happens.
Francis Brabazon, the Australian poet, was also a member of Meher Baba's Mandali. He was well-known in Australia as a poet and painter before he met his Master. From Stay With God here are three stanzas in Book I, which is called "Meher Baba, the occurrence of Reality in illusion."
These two stanzas are in Book II, entitled "The Love Song of John Kerry, illusion singing to Reality."
These three lovely cantoes are in Book V, which is named The God-Man as World Axis and Living Perfection of Art. Cantoes 20 and 21 are in Part III. Canto 34 is in Part IV.
In The True Teacher he describes and praises his Divine Beloved. This untitled poem is quoted from a book by one of Francis' close friends.
Raine Eastman-Gannett has contributed three articles on her mentor, The Songs, The Paintings and A Personal Account of the Funeral of Francis Brabazon in 1984.
If I Could Only Remember by William M. Stephens, from Footprints in the Sand.
I Came To My Beloved by Josephine Esther Ross, from Songs Of A Modern Disiciple. A memorial collection of poems were posted on the Meher Baba listserver at the time of her passing in December, 1998.
A Bird On Roller Skates by Stephen Paul Miller, from Poems To Avatar Meher Baba.
Now It Does Not Matter by Bal Natu, from Conversations.
Don't be fooled by his Polish name, Mirek Popowicz writes in English. About his poems he says, "These songs are like spindrift thrown out of the ocean that momentarily dances and shines in mid-air, before it returns into the ocean. This spindrift is ever-changing, never the same — yet it is the ocean." Here's a selection from Songs Grown From Sand And Stones.
Tony Paterniti, also known as "Kalyan", offers a selection of songs and poems originally posted to the Avatar Meher Baba Listserver during 1996.
Actor, musician, poet Michael Mathias burns with the intensity of the Beloved's Love. His collection of poems Vision from the Bridge of Fire has been called a surrealist epic; our brief offering is aflame with the drama of the Avatar's advent. Here are also a couple of early selections from Poems Given in Silence. Dr. Mathias's autobiographical journal, The Cosmic Mouth - Part One, narrates in tragicomical style some personal spiritual events associated with the composition of his epic vision.
Michael Rohan offers a savory selection of poems inspired by his master, Avatar Meher Baba, at his site called The Great Hunger in Australia. By way of appetizers, here are two tasty samples: One Day and Separation.
Meher Baba first "wooed" Max Reif to His Divine Romance in 1971. Max says, "In some of the following poems from Canticles For Meher and The Secrets God Tells Lovers, it felt like 'I' got 'out of the way' to a degree."
In an offering of six poems Gareth Calway includes his oldest retained poem, "Beloved, To Please You," written in June, 1979. In his commentary he calls it his "first real Baba poem," averring that it is "still truer" to him than anything else he's ever written. He also includes a poem from Coming Home which was published in 1991 and one from Britain's Dreaming which came out in 1998. Plus several more recent additions.
Karen Lynn Sterkin offers song lyrics and poems from three collections and CDs, White Flowing Sadra, The New Humanity Collection and Ghazals of Francis, available from her website published by Meherkaren Sings!
Aude Gotto offers a selection of new poems. She runs the Centre for People and the Arts in Norwich, England, named The King of Hearts. Under this transparent nickname, the boss is of course Meher Baba. In 1998, inspired by Bhau Kalchuri's Ghazals, she wrote Odes to the King of Hearts under the ghazal name "Namo," given to her by Bhau for this purpose.
Raine Eastman-Gannett studied poetry, song and drama with Francis Brabazon, the Australian poet who was an intimate disciple of the divine Beloved. Raine writes articles about his songs and paintings and gives a moving account of his funeral.
She sings, composes and writes lyrics, Raine Sings Raine's Songs, with cassettes and CDs to her credit. In addition she's one of the leading interpreters of the English language ghazal pioneered by her mentor. Recently in the guise of Raindust she combines blues and the ghazal on a CD called Grin & Gulp Ghazals.
Under the pseudonym Rani Didi she performs Hindi bhajans and devotional lyrics, Sanskrit mantra and Urdu ghazals. Nada Om will soon bring out her versions of bhajans by Mira, Kabir, Surdas, Bramanaand and others.
When the Beloved One unwraps the Reed from it's case, hidden deep within one's heart, what is uttered is a song of praise, longing, desire for Union. Here are Sharon Wiseman's selections from a pilgrim's voice, her Offering to The Rose.
Katie Rose has been an artist for much of her life — most recently creating clayart, writing poems, and painting the Beloved. This collection of poems reflects her personal journey to the One, moments in the life of an aspirant, and a testimony to the true miracle of the Opening of the Heart.
Joe DiSabatino: One day two years ago I was in a bookstore in Bethesda, Maryland, and noticed a little book called "Haiku for Jews" near the checkout counter. I read a few and had this inspiration in the moment: "Hey, why not Haiku for Baba-Lovers!" At first I made them humorous like the ones in the "Haiku for Jews" but soon dropped that and decided to just write from the heart. For about six months they really poured out. What I do is transport myself either to the Myrtle Beach Meher Center or to Meherabad and write the haiku as if I'm there on pilgrimage. I hope you like them. I've only written an occasional poem over the years so I was surprised at the steady downpour. If you have any comments, you can email me. Enjoy!
Brian Darnell offers five poems from his recent book The Garden of Surrender as well as fifty-three new ones as he chronicles his evolving relationship with the Beloved in Poems to the Beloved.
Bal Natu said of the poems in The Garden of Surrender — "These days I hear one ghazal a day from your book ... They are most meaningful and express sublime sentiments far beyond my comprehension. Some times they bring tears to my eyes, conveying Baba's message. Your heart has not only been touched but also deeply awakened by Baba's glorious, indescribable Love. My salutations to such an awakened heart ... My loving Jai Baba! to you."
The poems offered here are from an ongoing book Dick Holmes is writing entitled Recipes for Gratitude.
Ellen Sinderman was probably caught in Baba's net as a child frolicking in the waves at Ocean Drive (aka N. Myrtle Beach). Her grandmother Minnie, of good eastern NC stock, owned three rental cottages there. Later Minnie would go to the gate looking for her grandson David, only to leave empty-handed. Minnie had heard the place was a nudist colony.
Ellen now lives in Beaufort, SC, and is recently divorced. Daughter Hope, 20, and son Matthew, 26, apparently a centurion in Ancient Italy and the reincarnation of Gerard Manley Hopkins (he is highly dubious though), live nearby also.
When not writing poems, Ellen can be found maintaining the county's parcel layer (GIS), playing tennis, and dating much younger men!
Pam Topley's poems started when as a newcomer to Baba visiting Myrtle Beach Spiritual Center she was asked by Cherie Plumlee to write an article for Love Street Lamppost about her stay there. Somehow or other it just came out in verse — bits and pieces of poems have been scribbled on backs of envelopes and scraps of paper ever since.
"Oh Baba, You're driving me nuts. Break my heart.
Let out Your blessed word. I'll write. You start."
From Meher Baba's nudge came Sonnets to Avatar Meher Baba. Davis Taylor has been writing poems for forty years and currently lives in northern Wisconsin on Lake Superior. To comment on the sonnets or if interested in reading his other books, send him an email. He'd love to hear from you.
Poetry & Art by Sharon Lia Robinson reflect Divine Presence in daily life, her search for wholeness, and the gifts of nature for healing. Sharon grew up in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, where Meher Baba spent time during His first visit to America. She frequently traveled on the Croton-Harmon train into New York City, before she consciously knew about Meher Baba. For more information, you are welcome to email Sharon [at] olympus [dot] net and read more on her website Sharon Robinson.
Eternal Perfect Beloved is a large collection of poems dedicated to the Beloved by Eric Solibakke. See also Sweeps.
Links to other sites featuring poetry
in the great HeartMind tradition.
Poetry of the HeartMind is maintained by
Eric Solibakke
November 17, 2012
