The Mind
I heard it whispered in the cryptic streets
Translated by Ameen Rihani (1918) · From The Luzumiyat of Abu'l-Ala (1918)
The Mind
I heard it whispered in the cryptic streets
Where every sage the same dumb shadow meets:
"We are but words fallen from the lipe of Time
Which God, that we might understand, repeats."
Cite this poem
MLA
al-Ma'arri, Abu al-Ala. “I heard it whispered in the cryptic streets.” Translated by Ameen Rihani. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/al-maarri/46/.
Chicago
al-Ma'arri, Abu al-Ala. “I heard it whispered in the cryptic streets.” Translated by Ameen Rihani. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/al-maarri/46/.
Read this poem with the Codex →