This is an eclogue, a short pastoral poem, usually in dialogue, on the subject of rural life and the society of shepherds, depicting rural life as free from the complexity and corruption of more civilized life. This poem is a fourteen-line eclogue, 8-10 syllables per line featuring two shepherds engaged in a conversation.
Ye! Why art thou unmindful of thy flock?
Grazing in my meadows till sundown.
I am sorry to thee my noble friend,
My love for the Creator veils my eyes.
God! I yearn to comb thy hair, feed thee milk,
Thou must reply- how can I serve my love?
A mocking laugh echoed through the meadow,
My fellow! Fear God for this blasphemy,
Spare the sins of such polluting words.
Sobbing asked he, leading his flock away,
Does He only heed prayers of the wise?
Then I relinquish my love at his feet.
A new vision dawned; the shepherd choked
He loves thee who knows no worship or praise.
Poet’s Note: This verse is recreated and retold from a story in Maulana Jalaludin Rumi’s ‘Mathnavi’, which is hailed as the Persian Quran. The story is about Prophet Moses who derides the shepherd for his ridiculous love offerings to God. He later stands humbled and corrected by the Lord who says that he holds the rants of pure love close to Himself and needs no outward worship.