Norman Cameron

Who is this Shams of Tubriz?

I have the standard American collection of Rumi (Jalaluddin Rumi 13thC) for the spiritual bedrock that he is.  Translated into the idiom some of these poems are a bit hit or miss.  We take what we like, Isherwood’s Bhagavad Gita for instance is my favourite version so far of that illuminating manuscript. And in all the poems before me Rumi shines.  Poetry is somewhat spiritual, what more can I say, Seek and ye shall find?   
Here’s a good-natured, work-a-day version of a piece included in the Shambhala Classics text:

 

 

The Mill, the Stone and the Water

All our desire is a grain of wheat.
Our whole personality is the milling-building.
But this mill grinds without knowing about  it.

The millstone is your heavy body.
What makes the stone turn is your thought-river.
The stone says: I don’t know why we do all this, but the river has knowledge!

If you ask the river, it says,
I don’t know why I flow.
All I know is that a human opened the gate!

And if you ask the person, he says:
All I know, oh gobbler of  bread, is that if this stone
stops going around, there’ll be no bread for your bread-soup!

All this grinding goes on, and no one has any knowledge!
So just be quiet, and one day turn
to God, and say: What is this about bread-making?

(trans Robert Bly) 

Poetry Bus #8



Poetry Bus Magazine No 8

Out this week, or last week, produced printed and sold out.  I'm really pleased to have a poem in this strong and varied collection.  It has all sorts, some are very good and some excellent in part.  I'm happy to have a poem scrape in.  All eyes on Dublin.
PB8

Mercury swoops

I anticipate tea will be at 4 today, in these unfriendly times.  I'm happy to have a funny old poem on wretchedness posted up Ekphrastic, that’s two published poems a piece for the boys below.  Good men in their field.

Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso

How good is this!?!

An unearthed recording, back from the Bardic Days.


(My partners says: Bury it deep).

Anthologised

I am longlisted for this year’s Canterbury Prize yeh!  So a place in the anthology assured & while I didn’t win with my ekphrastic shot at The Miser Who Lost His Treasure,  I will be in Earyworks next anthology as I was shortlisted for their competition as well.  I’m delighted with both of course, already.  Win or lose it is a pleasure to share print.  

Looking over the misguided register my submissions this year – aye, there are many – I see ‘longlist’ crops up: Erbacce Pamphlet, Firth Magazine.  It is plausible – as I don’t go for the big prizes and prefer the one judge reads all competitions – this is because there are more poems about. Which might be the case for all competitions.   Paddle faster.

L'avare qui a perdu son tresor

Webzine Progress

Bonnie's Crew & Runcible Spoon

I am happy to have two poems enthusiastically accepted by Katt at Runcible Spoon - Baker Street, with /Loves sweet tooth... /its fingertips and lollipops, strawberries and cream/ and another completed after many revisions, Threshold. Also an estuary poem, Sea window accepted this month by the big-hearted Bonnie's Crew. Familiar faces in both: poetry is a good place to be.