The Love Poems of Rumi

Fereydoun Kia and Deepak Chopra render the poems of the thirteenth-century Persian mystic Jalal ad-Din Rumi into English verse, focused on love as a spiritual force. The poems speak of union with the divine, the pain of separation, ecstasy and surrender, with images from wine, the reed flute and the sun. Chopra introduces them with commentary on how they speak to modern readers.

It is for readers new to Rumi who like love poetry with a spiritual dimension. You get a short, approachable selection, best read slowly and aloud, with a sense of why this poet has lasted for centuries.

Inward-looking and contemplative; a moderate read.

Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?