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54th out of 191 books
—
601 voters
Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West
Sacred poetry from twelve mystics and saints, rendered brilliantly by Daniel Ladinsky, beloved interpreter of verses by the fourteenth-century Persian poet Hafiz
In this luminous collection, Daniel Ladinsky—best known for his gifted and bestselling interpretations of the great Sufi poet Hafiz—brings together the timeless work of twelve of the world's finest spiritual write...more
In this luminous collection, Daniel Ladinsky—best known for his gifted and bestselling interpretations of the great Sufi poet Hafiz—brings together the timeless work of twelve of the world's finest spiritual write...more
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
September 24th 2002
by Penguin Books
(first published April 30th 2002)
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the absolute best thing about this book is the variety. how each of these mystics can talk along the same lines about God. i love that this isn't the normal white/black view of God. they speak of God who comes to them in the night and cures their loneliness. who nestles them against His breast and loves them. they speak of a God that so many people don't get to experience. the title threw me for a bit...after reading the book, highlighting and filling the margins with my thoughts like mad, i sat...more
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"Love Poems from God" Review
I'll never forget my first thought when I saw this book on the shelf: "Shouldn't the title be 'Love Poems FOR God'?" However, that was precisely the point of the whole book- since the mystic saints who wrote these poems were directly inspired by divinity, it's perfectly accurate to say that these words came from God, and also that they apply to everyone who reads them.
When I opened up the first pages, I gasped at the words of Rabia: "One day, He did not leave after...more
I'll never forget my first thought when I saw this book on the shelf: "Shouldn't the title be 'Love Poems FOR God'?" However, that was precisely the point of the whole book- since the mystic saints who wrote these poems were directly inspired by divinity, it's perfectly accurate to say that these words came from God, and also that they apply to everyone who reads them.
When I opened up the first pages, I gasped at the words of Rabia: "One day, He did not leave after...more
Comparative religion, spirituality and mysticism are passions of mine. I find that, in the various traditions of Eastern and Western mysticism, dogmatic differences disappear, leaving an ecstatic, beautiful love for God/spirit, humanity, and non-human animals. These mystics paint a picture of a world filled with compassion and love, a world I hope to be a bit part of making real.
Love Poems from God offers selections of poetry from East and West. Hafiz, St. Teresa of Avila, Kabir, St. Francis of...more
Love Poems from God offers selections of poetry from East and West. Hafiz, St. Teresa of Avila, Kabir, St. Francis of...more
This is a beautiful collection of writings on the love of God from some of the most amazing spiritual figures of all time. It emphasizes certain elements that are frequently lacking in more traditional catechesis, such as the spousal nature of love between God and humanity, the goodness of nature, and the humor of God. I really appreciated it for these reasons. The one caveat I have is that this is certainly not an academic translation. In the introductory writing the translator admits to taking...more
I like to read this book in the morning, before I start my day. It's so inspiring.
That is all.
:)
That is all.
:)
I loved this book.
I really needed to hear what it said at that time.
That God loves all of us passionately and cares about us every step of the way, and wants us to be happy.
I haven't come from a religious background at all so for me this is the first time I have read the poetry or writings of many of these authors. And they all had the ring of truth about them. I hope I get the opportunity to add this on to my collection, and I hope that there will be more from this translator and I hope to r...more
I really needed to hear what it said at that time.
That God loves all of us passionately and cares about us every step of the way, and wants us to be happy.
I haven't come from a religious background at all so for me this is the first time I have read the poetry or writings of many of these authors. And they all had the ring of truth about them. I hope I get the opportunity to add this on to my collection, and I hope that there will be more from this translator and I hope to r...more
It's beautiful to have 12 great mystics from different countries and times all singing together under one roof, as it were. This book is a very enjoyable way to spend time loving God with the saints.
One thing to be aware of, though, is that these are very much Ladinsky's adaptations of the poems, not just translations. So there's a certain sameness to the style of poetry throughout, even though the original authors are so different. On the one hand, this can be a nice allegorical way of remindi...more
One thing to be aware of, though, is that these are very much Ladinsky's adaptations of the poems, not just translations. So there's a certain sameness to the style of poetry throughout, even though the original authors are so different. On the one hand, this can be a nice allegorical way of remindi...more
This beautiful book came my way recently. What a wondrous new opportunity to listen in on these twelve voices in their interactions with God. So far I have been listening to Rabia of Basra (c. 717-801), a much revered Islamic saint who was sold into slavery at a young age and forced live and work in a brothel until she was finally freed at age 50.
It is possible to see traces of this history in many of her writings, which speak of living with beauty and dignity in the midst of the strange places...more
It is possible to see traces of this history in many of her writings, which speak of living with beauty and dignity in the midst of the strange places...more
I'm not much of a reader of religious poetry unless you count Rumi or Hafiz. But, my boss gave me this book ages ago, and I was enchanted from the beginning.
Little trinkets from Rumi, Hafiz, Mira, Rabia, and Tukaram. Endless pages are dogeared and marked and starred and highlighted - I've read this book a hundred times.... each time I love it more.
I love this one by Tukaram:
"I think the moon
is pregnant again
I
hope she won't
sue me
this
time"
Little trinkets from Rumi, Hafiz, Mira, Rabia, and Tukaram. Endless pages are dogeared and marked and starred and highlighted - I've read this book a hundred times.... each time I love it more.
I love this one by Tukaram:
"I think the moon
is pregnant again
I
hope she won't
sue me
this
time"
Although these are not direct translations of their originals, the power and insight first expressed by these poets is still very present. Each section holds something thought-provoking and eye-opening about God, ourselves, or the world in general that I think can be seen regardless of the reader's religious background if encountered with an open heart. Divine love is deeply manifested in this work, and I will definitely treasure it for years to come.
An excellent book of mystical poetry from a variety of religious traditions: Islamic, Catholic, Buddhist and others This is a publication not only to be read, but to be reflected on--to savor slowly like fine entrees at a banquet--not to be gulped down. Seeking to better connect with the divine, the mystic poets draw upon imagery from nature, sensuality/sexuality, experiences of enlightenment and intense emotion.
I'm now on my second read (I read very few books twice) and marking inspiring or poi...more
I'm now on my second read (I read very few books twice) and marking inspiring or poi...more
This book is fantastic! I am not a fan of poetry, I suppose what I love about this book is it is spiritual poetry and speaks of truth. I want to read all of Daniel Ladinsky's books! I posted several poems from this book on my FB page during the 12 days of Christmas if you'd like to check some of those out before purchasing the book. This is a book that I will return to again and again!
"If God would stop telling jokes, I might act serious." Tukaram. This poem and many other poetic gems of twelve different mystics and saints from various eastern and western religious traditions are compiled by Daniel Ladinsky in a very readable compilation.
started reading this book, but due to it being borrowed from a "friend", it was requested to be returned only a few days after I borrowed it, so unfortunately, I was unable to finish.
selfishness is not one of my favorite characteristics in people.
selfishness is not one of my favorite characteristics in people.
My favorite poem in this book:
"God and I are like two fat people in a tiny boat...we keep bumping into each other and laughing"
This is a fantastic book of people from every walk of life and religion writing about their experiences with a higher power.
"God and I are like two fat people in a tiny boat...we keep bumping into each other and laughing"
This is a fantastic book of people from every walk of life and religion writing about their experiences with a higher power.
Oct 16, 2007
Leela
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
ministers, the open-minded religious, those seeking words for a diety they're not ready for
I was taking an intensive class in seminary on Sexuality in Ministry (taught by minister and sexologist Debra Haffner) when a classmate from Cyprus brought this book to the table. It took two years, but I found a copy on a remainder table at a bookstore in Ottawa, Ontario and it has been a favorite of mine ever since. I use it for inspiration, for readings that just fit, for laughter in the face of trouble, and for that special brand of irreverence that is so critical to balanced religious life...more
Daniel Ladinsky is my favorite translator of Hafiz, a 13th century Persian poet who experiences God in an ecstatic and wonderful way that those of us who choose the love of God over the fear of God will find adorable and profound.
Sep 14, 2011
Luke Fullagar
is currently reading it
This book has consistently turned up and come back into my life, over and over. Given to me by my lover, read from by so many, seen again at a friend's house in San Francisco... a volume which should be everywhere.
xx
xx
An Intelligent Rich Person - Kabir
I don't think there is such a thing as
an intelligent mega-rich
person.
For who with a fine mind can look
out upon this world and
hoard
what can nourish
a thousand
souls.
I don't think there is such a thing as
an intelligent mega-rich
person.
For who with a fine mind can look
out upon this world and
hoard
what can nourish
a thousand
souls.
A mix of love poems from and about God, it's not limited to one religious point of view or style of poetry. I really enjoyed most of what I read here and even had a few "A-ha" moments along the way.
I'm in love with the Universe and this is by far the best collection of inspiring poems of the 'mystic, poet, seer variety :)
the gift that keeps on giving from ancient sacred voices
the gift that keeps on giving from ancient sacred voices
Fun translations, although I have to wonder about the accuracy of some of them, even though they seem to keep to the spirit of the poems.
Funny, touching, interesting, and full of life.
Funny, touching, interesting, and full of life.
Truly beautiful. This is a collection of religious poetry from Sufi, Catholic, Protestant, and other traditions. Some classic names, some new to me.
Most of these writings are so inspiring. Great to read a page per day but sometimes there's too much hunger to read further. Will read again and again!
Aside from an obviously spectacular collection of poets and their works, the translations and editing are absolutely gorgeous. Love this collection.
This is one of my favorite poetry anthologies. It has eastern and western mystics from Hafiz and Rumi to St. Catherine. Beautifully compiled.
A beautiful compilation of fascinating proverbs and poems. Ladinsky took a lot of liberty with his translations. Overall, very enjoyable.
This book is like a wonderful friend. You can curl up in your chair on a rainy day and fall in love over and over.
Nov 05, 2009
Avni
added it
loved it. read some not so great reviews about Ladinsky, but still really enjoyed this book.
great collection from all religions and walks of life, some achingly beautiful ones in here.
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