BECOMING HUMAN

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Once a man came to me and spoke for hours about

“His great visions of God” he felt he was having.

.

He asked me for confirmation, saying,

“Are these wondrous dreams true?”

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I replied, “How many goats do you have?”

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He looked surprised and said,

“I am speaking of sublime visions

And you ask 

About goats!”

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And I spoke again saying,

“Yes, brother – how many do you have?”

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“Well, Hafiz, I have sixty-two.”

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“And how many wives?”

Again he looked surprised, then said,

“Four.”

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“How many rose bushes in your garden,

How many children,

Are your parents still alive,

Do you feed the birds in winter?”

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And to all he answered.

.

Then I said,

“You asked me if I thought your visions were true,

I would say that they were if they make you become

More human,

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More kind to every creature and plant

That you know."

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~ Hafiz

(“The Gift” – translated by Daniel Ladinsky)