“This being human is a guest house.”
Go right ahead, invite the uninvited
Guest even if the guest will stay too
Long, ravish all that’s in your house
Even those who come to mourn not
Knowing how long the visit will last,
And most unexpectedly, will probably
Follow everyone out, and you, when
Everybody’s skin and bones, and then
Bones, and then dust into the wind.
The guest doesn’t really care a bit
Who you are, only that you’re there,
Or here, for that matter, and no
Brooms, no vacuums, no, nothing
Will do you any good so be nice,
Say hello, don’t even ask how long
The guest wants to stay, maybe even
Make some drinks if you’re still able,
Or if not, say something smart, even
If what you say won’t matter a bit.
"After Rumi's 'The Guest House'" is published here with kind permission of the author.
The ALL Review is pleased to present our How to Live series, poems chosen to help readers navigate these difficult and rapidly changing times.
