The Drop That Became the Sea: Lyric Poems

by Yunus Emre and Kabir Helminski

Book Overview

This collection of poems introduces a general readership to Yunus Emre (1240-1321), called the "greatest folk poet in Islam." An unlettered Turkish shepherd who sang mystical songs that are still... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 093966030X
• ISBN13: 9780939660308
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

A deep personal mysticism

I found this book by accident. I had read a single poem by Yunus Emre and, transfixed, I blindly ordered this book of translations by Helminski and Algan. This "sea" is beautiful and deep. His poetry expresses a deep personal mysticism and humanism and love for God. If you like Rumi, do yourself a favor and read this too.

A GIFT FROM GOD!

I keep this little gem by my bed to have handy. Every poem is exquisite and enticing to read over and over again.

another priceless gem by a great Master & contemporary of Rumi's

This was such a gem to discover that I felt the need to add to the only 2 reviews included so far. If you like Rumi and other such poets, I think you will equally adore this book despite their having very different styles. The best way to give you a quick sense of Yunus is that when Rumi asked him what he thought of Rumi's 6-book masterpiece, the Mathnawi, he simply said "It's a little long. I would have written it differently." "Oh, how so?" Rumi asked. "I would have written: I came from eternity, clothed myself with skin and bones and called myself 'Yunus'." What I love about these priceless treasures is that you get more and more from them each time you read them so the power and delight are literally endless - my ideal type of book.

A perfect poetry book

I love Yunus Emre The Turkish best poet about mystic poetries. I highly recommend: Get this book and read it. I am sure you 'll love him, too.

Sufi poetry for "common folk" - a must read

Generally when we think of Sufi and Hindu devotional poetry a small set of names come to mind - Attar, Rumi, Kabir, Mirabai ...; Yunus Emre is certainly not among those names although he deserves to be. He composed in a Turkic language, a language family noted for its love of language, its wordplay and doubling. This is poetry of the highest quality with a down to earth touch resonating with divine love imagery. A must read for anyone interested in religious poetry, bhakti poetry or Sufism.