By Flapper Press Café:
The Flapper Press Poetry Café continues a series of articles about favorite lines of poetry and the poets who wrote them. We’re reaching out to poets, writers, and lovers of poetry to submit their favorite lines of poetry and tell us why you love them.
Check out our submission guidelines and send us your favorites!
We'll feature your submission sometime this year on our site!
This week, our submission comes from poet Jolene Paul.
"What you seek is seeking you." (Joyously)
—Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (1207–1273)
From Jolene Paul:
In Rumi’s lines, I feel the emotion and what this brings to me and how it directs me. So many people get stuck in the negative. However, when I seek joy, I think I become a person who finds a brain path to turn their life to happiness.
When I read Rumi, his words feel authentic while not being preachy. He just states a mystical truth with clarity, and this is why I think his words hold so much meaning for me, especially when I add "JOYOUSLY."
A 13th-century Persian Sufi mystic poet Jala al-Din Rumi has become a rock-star poet for our current age. His words of wisdom seem to permeate the confusion of our time to bring clarity and optimism to the mystery of living. His work has been translated by A. J. Arberry, Franklin D. Lewis, Jawid Mojaddedi, Reynold A. Nicholson, and Coleman Barks.
To read more about Rumi and his work, visit:
Jolene Paul resides in Arkansas with her lovely husband of 26 years. She loves her amazing daughter, Jordan. In addition, her dogs, Finley and Riley, bring her comfort. She enjoys walking, writing, painting, reading, and making jewelry. She carries optimism with her wherever she goes and faces any obstacle in her path. Each day she hones her ability to add love instead of subtracting love.
Presenting a wide range of poetry with a mission to promote a love and understanding of poetry for all. We welcome submissions for compelling poetry and look forward to publishing and supporting your creative endeavors. Submissions may also be considered for the Pushcart Prize. Please review our Guidelines before submitting!