Poem Analysis - Five Things To Say

An Ode to Divine Love

Rumi's "five things to say" is an impassioned declaration of love, spiritual yearning, and the dissolution of self in the divine. The poem vibrates with intense emotion, ranging from profound longing and self-deprecation to ecstatic joy and surrender. Its tone is initially confessional and intimate, building towards a crescendo of unified bliss. The language, rich with metaphor and paradox, seeks to express the inexpressible nature of divine love and the transformative power of spiritual union. The poem culminates in a frenzied, joyful expression of union with the divine.

Background of the Poet

Jalaluddin Rumi, a 13th-century Persian (Iranian) poet, mystic, and theologian, is renowned for his Sufi poetry, which often explores themes of love, longing, and the unity of all beings with the divine. Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam, emphasizes direct personal experience of God through love and devotion. Rumi's life experiences, including the loss of his spiritual mentor Shams Tabrizi, profoundly impacted his poetry, which often reflects the pain of separation and the joy of reunion with the beloved, interpreted as both a human and divine figure. This cultural and religious context provides a framework for understanding the poem's emphasis on surrender, spiritual intoxication, and the transcendence of earthly concerns through love.

The Unfolding of Love and Surrender

One of the poem's central themes is the all-encompassing nature of love, both human and divine. The opening lines establish the beloved as the very essence of existence: "You are the sky my spirit circles in / The love inside of love, the resurrection-place." This powerful imagery depicts the beloved as the ultimate source and destination, the space within which the speaker's being finds its purpose and renewal. Another theme is the process of spiritual surrender. The speaker readily acknowledges his flaws, "My coins are counterfeit / But you accept them anyway / My impudence and my pretending!" This act of acknowledging imperfection and seeking acceptance signifies a complete relinquishment of ego and a willingness to be vulnerable before the divine. Ultimately, the poem speaks of transcendence, and the movement beyond words. The limitations of language in capturing the essence of the experience. "Neither words, nor any natural fact / can express this".

Symbols: Fire, Coins, and Fingers

Several recurring symbols enrich the poem's meaning. The image of "my cornfield is burning!" is particularly striking. It can be interpreted as the destruction of the ego, the burning away of worldly attachments, or a passionate, consuming desire for union. The "coins are counterfeit" represent the speaker's imperfections, flaws, and inauthentic self, highlighting the theme of humility and self-acceptance within the context of love. The "five fingers" offered to the beloved are open to interpretation. They could represent the five senses, symbolizing the speaker's total surrender of their sensory experience to the divine, or they might represent five essential aspects of the self or devotional practices. The poem’s ambiguity deepens the reader's engagement and invites personal reflection on the nature of devotion.

Ecstasy in Union

Rumi's "five things to say" is a powerful exploration of divine love and the yearning for spiritual union. Through vivid imagery, confessional honesty, and ecstatic language, the poem depicts the transformative power of love to dissolve the boundaries of self and connect with something greater. The poem’s significance lies in its ability to articulate the inexpressible – the profound joy and surrender that comes with spiritual awakening and the merging of the individual with the divine. It invites the reader to contemplate the nature of love, the limitations of language, and the potential for transcendence through devotion and surrender.