Prayer of a Dervish - Anonymous

Direct me Allah Most High
to the way of Your beloved.
Hear my scarcely audible voice,
my hopeless and remote groan.
If only I, called by You,
could know Your mercy.
If only You, glorious Lord
protector of this dwelling place,
would open up and give mercy
and pour the stream of divine love
into the suffering heart,
I would glorify my birth
and the difficult flow of life
and would not judge the hearts
of people lost in the dark.
I would not ask for justice
but live in Your mercy.

I don’t want your poems
burning with the flame of suffering
and the spell of your words
will no longer alarm dreams,

There’s no need to prepare chains
and flood the steppes with fire
and to plait the nets of jealousy
or to lead oneself to destruction.

I am flayed, killed, robbed,
sworn at, smashed by slander,
weakened by love of the Furies,
my soul grows and mourns.

Love without jealousy, without fear,
without unjustified hurts,
love with the mercy of Allah
will protect me from pain.

And peaceful in a quiet harbour,
intoxicated with the spirit of freedom,
conversing with my Luke,
I will acquire peace.

Enjoying meditation
of the divine creations of the Creator,
I would distance myself from work
with the charms of young maidens.

---

Anonymous (20th century) Turkmenistan

Translator not stated

Source: Poetry from Turkmenistan, Index on Censorship, Volume 35 Issue 3, August 2006