Laura

“What can I do, Dear Ones ?
I do not know myself.

I am neither Christian nor Jew,
neither Magian nor Muslim,

I am not from east or west,
not from land or sea,

not from the shafts of nature
nor from the spheres of the firmament,

not of the earth, not of water,
not of air, not of fire.

I am not from the highest heaven,
not from this world,
not from existence, not from being.

I am not from India, not from China,
not from Bulgar, not from Saqsin,
not from the realm of the two Iraqs,
not from the land of Khurasan.

I am not from the world, not from beyond,
not from heaven and not from hell.

I am not from Adam, not from Eve,
not from paradise and not from Ridwan.

My place is placeless, my trace is traceless,
no body, no soul, I am from the soul of souls.

I have chased out duality, lived the two worlds as one.
One I seek, one I know, one I see, one I call.

He is the first, he is the last,
he is the outer, he is the inner.
Beyond He and He is I know no other.

I am drunk from the cup of love,
the two worlds have escaped me.
I have no concern but carouse and rapture.

If one day in my life I spend a moment without you
from that hour and that time I would repent my life.

If one day I am given a moment in solitude with you
I will trample the two worlds underfoot and dance forever.

O Beloved , I am so tipsy here in this world,
I have no tale to tell but tipsiness and rapture.”
― Rumi, The Essential Rumi

“Certainly paradise, whatever, wherever it be, contains flaws. (Paradisical flaws, if you like.) If it did not, it would be incapable of drawing the hearts of men or angels.”
― Henry Miller, Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch

“Wherever my travels may lead, paradise is where I am.”
― Voltaire

“You deserve a lover who wants you disheveled, with everything and all the reasons that wake you up in a haste and the demons that won’t let you sleep.
You deserve a lover who makes you feel safe, who can consume this world whole if he walks hand in hand with you; someone who believes that his embraces are a perfect match with your skin.
You deserve a lover who wants to dance with you, who goes to paradise every time he looks into your eyes and never gets tired of studying your expressions.
You deserve a lover who listens when you sing, who supports you when you feel shame and respects your freedom; who flies with you and isn’t afraid to fall.
You deserve a lover who takes away the lies and brings you hope, coffee, and poetry.”
― Estefanía Mitre