Peter Lucas Hulen

• hulenp@wabash.edu      

Poetry

• R U M I
  • The Worm's Waking
  • The Guest House
  • The Waterwheel
  • This We Have Now
  • The Sunrise Ruby
  • I Have Such a Teacher
  • Only Breath
  • The Arc of Your Mallet
  • Come to the Orchard in Spring
  • Say I Am You
• H A F I Z
  • The Sun Never Says
  • When You Can Endure
  • If You Don't Stop That
  • Some of the Planets are Hosting
  • For Three Days
• K A B I R
  • Take a Pitcher
  • While You Are Alive
  • Wake Up
  • What You Have Lived Through
  • The Breath Inside the Breath
  • It Was Inside
  • It Still Holds On
  • A Secret One Inside
  • Inside the Body

It is in and through their contemplative traditions that distinctions between religions begin to dissolve. Sufis are the great mystics of Islam, and Hinduism includes manifold contemplative traditions. The 13th- and 14th-century Persian poetry of Rumi and Hafiz and the 15th-century poetry of Kabir from oral traditions in various dialects of Hindi all translate into English as free verse.

It is no wonder that teachers from a variety of faith traditions make reference to this body of work. It holds a mirror to what is common among meditative practices of all faiths. These poems have held rich significance for me as I participated in Buddhist practice and found my way to meaningful engagement with Christianity.

My one poor effort at religious verse can be found HERE.