Inspiration: When Love Beckons…
“If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don’t, they never were” Kahlil Gibran
Inspiration: When Love Beckons...
Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
Song of Love XXIV by Khalil Gibran
I am the lover’s eyes, and the spirit’s
Wine, and the heart’s nourishment.
I am a rose. My heart opens at dawn and
The virgin kisses me and places me
Upon her breast.I am the house of true fortune, and the
Origin of pleasure, and the beginning
Of peace and tranquility.
I am the gentle Smile upon his lips of beauty.
When youth overtakes me he forgets his toil,
and his Whole life becomes reality of sweet dreams.I am the poet’s elation,
And the artist’s revelation,
And the musician’s inspiration.
I am a sacred shrine in the heart of a
Child, adored by a merciful mother. Contd below
When love beckons, follow it or, at least, acknowledge the gift and pass it on. Since I’m on a sentimental journey with Khalil Gibran this week, I’ll share two of my favorite Gibran love poems with you: Song of Love XXIV and Love. They are exquisite and go straight to the heart of the matter; unencumbered by confusing words.
“Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” Kahlil Gibran
Inspiration: When Love Beckons...
I appear to a heart’s cry; I shun a demand;
My fullness pursues the heart’s desire;
It shuns the empty claim of the voice.
I appeared to Adam through Eve
And exile was his lot;
Yet I revealed myself to Solomon, and
He drew wisdom from my presence.I smiled at Helena and she destroyed Tarwada;
Yet I crowned Cleopatra and peace dominated
The Valley of the Nile.
I am like the ages — building today
And destroying tomorrow;
I am like a god, who creates and ruins;
I am sweeter than a violet’s sigh;
I am more violent than a raging tempest.Gifts alone do not entice me;
Parting does not discourage me;
Poverty does not chase me;
Jealousy does not prove my awareness;
Madness does not evidence my presence.
Oh seekers, I am Truth, beseeching Truth;
And your Truth in seeking and receiving
And protecting me shall determine my
Behavior. Khalil Gibran
Lyrics via PoemHunter.com
Whenever I read the words in these poetic songs of love, I find another nugget, another gift that sheds light on the subject of love… It isn’t syrupy or blind, but powerful with knowledge and mixed emotions. It is Truth; unfettered by promises and lies.
“Love possesses not nor will it be possessed, for love is sufficient unto love.” Kahlil Gibran
Inspiration: When Love Beckons...
Sting – IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY SET THEM FREE
Love by Kahlil Gibran
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire,
that you may become sacred bread for God‘s sacred feast.Contd Below
For as love crowns you, it also crucifies you… The thorns of love are sharp and shifting. We welcome it with excitement and hope that the invitation to love lasts. When it bites, it is merciless but like moths to a flame, we keep going back for more. More Below! 🙂
“Love is the only flowers that grows and blossoms without the aid of seasons.” Kahlil Gibran
Inspiration: When Love Beckons...
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart,
and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,
Into the season-less world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,”
but rather, “I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course of love,
for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart
and a song of praise upon your lips. Khalil Gibran
Lyrics via PoemHunter.com
If we seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure, we will be in for lots of surprises; for love is more than the pleasantries we share. It includes the darkest hours, the painful memories, and the unrequited yearnings of many a heart. All of it and more add up to Love. What are your thoughts? Have you read any of the Gibran Love poems above? What other poems/songs on Love and Life come to mind? Do you relax with an open heart when love beckons or do you fight it? How do you view love? Do share! Thank you. 😉
*Please bear with me as I continue to catch up on your blogs and commenting… Thank you all for your patience! 🙂
Positive Motivation Tip: Everyone deserves to experience the joy of pure love. As we give, we receive… the gift begins with love.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All photos Love Rose via Wikipedia and/or I Love You by Doug88888, Canon Love by Phalaenoptis Aphrodite, Love by Gregory Jordan, via Flickr Poem/Lyrics via PoemHunter.com
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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- Khalil Gibran: On Giving And Taking… (eof737.wordpress.com)
- From the Heart (outofpocketemotions.com)
- Reflections: Speak To Us Of Children… (eof737.wordpress.com)
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You can watch – All You Need Is Love Karaoke by The Beatles – You Sing The Hits on YouTube.
Interesting video… I hope you won’t mind if I remove it? It’s been disabled by the user. TY! 😉
Love is beautiful, however in these modern times and in this complicated time of emotional dissent and egotist … when it is let go … it is difficult to return to. There is no real pathway back. Only our dreams ever really take us there.
Yes, I agree with you… a complex subject. 😉
Love, love, love. It’s a word we use often but I suspect most times we really don’t understand it. Not truly.
I agree: if you love someone you have to set them free, give them space to be. At 18, when I realized I needed to break away from my folks/home, I wrote that Gibran quote on the wall in my room. Love had become a prison and I had to escape.
I love Gibran’s brutal honesty on the subject… Like you, I don’t profess to have the answers but love matters. 😉
Reblogged this on Milenanik3's Blog and commented:
When Love Beckons…amazing post by Elizabeth
Ty for the reblog… will catch up soon. 😉
When I think of true love 1 Corinthians 13 comes to my mind.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
That is beautiful from 1 Cor… TY! 🙂
I adore the first Kahlil Gibran quote. Something about it just seems to resonate.
Same here… His poems speak to me on all levels. 🙂
One thing I know is that we all want to be loved and it matters. Beautful post.
B
So true… even the toughest guys want to know they are loved. TY! 🙂
We seek Love, we want Love, we need Love, because Ture Love is at the heart of all creation, in the heart of the creator. And from the heart of the creator we are born and to it we all seek to return. When we learn to create from our hearts, and learn that we are creation, that we are endowed with the powers of creation, then Love is abundant. Because when we create, we can only truly create from the Love of an open heart, through peace and compassion. And then these things flow back to us, the peace, compassion and Love and they guide us home.
Sounds so easy, doesnt it. Its anything but!
What great post! Thank you. And I pretty much love anything, Rumi as translated by C Barks. He can just make Rumi’s words Sign out loud.
Beautifully shared. I concur. TY! 🙂
I enjoyed reading the poetry that you included, but I haven’t really found romantic poetry that holds my interest…I’m not sure what says about me! I don’t think of myself as unromantic, but obviously I have some pockets of resistance…no, I think I really love music and romantic lyrics are poetry! 🙂 Debra
I understand… I love the mystic poets works on love but wouldn’t call myself a huge romantic poetry fan. I can appreciate it like you do too. 😉
You don’t have to convince me about Gibran. Have been a fan from way back in high school. And that, was along time ago! Thank you for reminding me of his writings again. I have forgotten some of them.
Love is a complicated subject. I think that we’re not capable of tolerating pure love. It might kill us.
TY too! Love is complicated for sure! Gibran breaks it down with his mastery of language. TY! 🙂
I’ve always loved Gibran, particularly his poems about love. Thanks for sharing this!
TY for your feedback Karen… I love the mystic poets and I’m glad others are enjoying them too… so much wisdom in their writings. 🙂
I have to say I didn’t know his poetry but reading it here makes me want to seek it out
TY Peter dear!! WE miss your writing and I do hope you start back blogging again soon. I appreciate your feedback. 🙂
I am falling in love with the works of Kahlil Gibran all over again–I loved them so very much in college! Bless you for bringing all of these meditations upon giving and receiving and celebrating love back to me today.
TY Granbee… Same here. We must have quite a large contingent of people who plugged into Gibran in college and inhaled all of the wisdom in his writings. Bless you too! 🙂
Love . the double edged sword. Can’t live with it, can’t live without it. For those who are lucky enough to find true love though, it is probably the greatest blessing known to mankind, I ‘imagine’. 😉
I absolutely love Gibran’s quotes and poems! So romantic and pure… unconditional love!
OK – this one made me cry. Too many of the quotes were applicable to our journey.