Search Results for: sara barkat

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Astronomer In the shadow of the temple my friend and I saw a blind man sitting alone. And my friend said, “Behold the wisest man of our land.” Then I left my friend and approached the blind man and greeted him. And we conversed. After a while I […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems Crucified I cried to men, “I would be crucified!” And they said, “Why should your blood be upon our heads?” And I answered, “How else shall you be exalted except by crucifying madmen?” And they heeded and I was crucified. And the crucifixion appeased me. And when I was […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Greater Sea My soul and I went to the great sea to bathe. And when we reached the shore, we went about looking for a hidden and lonely place. But as we walked, we saw a man sitting on a grey rock taking pinches of salt from a […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems Faces I have seen a face with a thousand countenances, and a face that was but a single countenance as if held in a mould. I have seen a face whose sheen I could look through to the ugliness beneath, and a face whose sheen I had to lift […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems Defeat “I am like thee, O, Night, dark and naked; I walk on the flaming path which is above my day-dreams, and whenever my foot touches earth a giant oak tree comes forth.” “Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou still lookest backward to see how […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems Defeat Defeat, my Defeat, my solitude and my aloofness; You are dearer to me than a thousand triumphs, And sweeter to my heart than all world-glory. Defeat, my Defeat, my self-knowledge and my defiance, Through you I know that I am yet young and swift of foot And not […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Good God and the Evil God The Good God and the Evil God met on the mountain top. The Good God said, “Good day to you, brother.” The Evil God did not answer. And the Good God said, “You are in a bad humour today.” “Yes,” said the […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Blessed City In my youth I was told that in a certain city every one lived according to the Scriptures. And I said, “I will seek that city and the blessedness thereof.” And it was far. And I made great provision for my journey. And after forty days […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems On the Steps of the Temple Yestereve, on the marble steps of the Temple, I saw a woman sitting between two men. One side of her face was pale, the other was blushing. —Kahlil Gibran About Kahlil Gibran Khalil Gibran (جبران خليل جبران) was a writer, visual artist, and […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Grave-digger Once, as I was burying one of my dead selves, the grave-digger came by and said to me, “Of all those who come here to bury, you alone I like.” Said I, “You please me exceedingly, but why do you like me?” “Because,” said he, “They come […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Three Ants Three ants met on the nose of a man who was asleep in the sun. And after they had saluted one another, each according to the custom of his tribe, they stood there conversing. The first ant said, “These hills and plains are the most barren […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Two Cages In my father’s garden there are two cages. In one is a lion, which my father’s slaves brought from the desert of Ninavah; in the other is a songless sparrow. Every day at dawn the sparrow calls to the lion, “Good morrow to thee, brother prisoner.” […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Pomagranate Once when I was living in the heart of a pomegranate, I heard a seed saying, “Someday I shall become a tree, and the wind will sing in my branches, and the sun will dance on my leaves, and I shall be strong and beautiful through all […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Other Language Three days after I was born, as I lay in my silken cradle, gazing with astonished dismay on the new world round about me, my mother spoke to the wet-nurse, saying, “How does my child?” And the wet-nurse answered, “He does well, Madame, I have fed […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The New Pleasure Last night I invented a new pleasure, and as I was giving it the first trial an angel and a devil came rushing toward my house. They met at my door and fought with each other over my newly created pleasure; the one crying, “It is […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems Ambition Three men met at a tavern table. One was a weaver, another a carpenter and the third a ploughman. Said the weaver, “I sold a fine linen shroud today for two pieces of gold. Let us have all the wine we want.” “And I,” said the carpenter, “I […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Wise King Once there ruled in the distant city of Wirani a king who was both mighty and wise. And he was feared for his might and loved for his wisdom. Now, in the heart of that city was a well, whose water was cool and crystalline, from […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Fox A fox looked at his shadow at sunrise and said, “I will have a camel for lunch today.” And all morning he went about looking for camels. But at noon he saw his shadow again—and he said, “A mouse will do.” —Kahlil Gibran About Kahlil Gibran Khalil […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems War One night a feast was held in the palace, and there came a man and prostrated himself before the prince, and all the feasters looked upon him; and they saw that one of his eyes was out and that the empty socket bled. And the prince inquired of […]

< Return to Kahlil Gibran Poems The Seven Selves In the stillest hour of the night, as I lay half asleep, my seven selves sat together and thus conversed in whisper: First Self: Here, in this madman, I have dwelt all these years, with naught to do but renew his pain by day and recreate […]