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Where Is He?

from Desert Songs - Memories of Rumi by Esbe

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about

Rumi left his family to devote his life to mysticism with an itinerant scholar, Shams. At the end of the poem, Rumi cries out for the recently deceased Shams.

lyrics

Where is he, where is my soul’s delight?
My North, my West, my South and East?
Not here with you where nothing is conceived.
He’s not here, but where has he gone?
No compassing aroma dwells where nothing is conceived.

I look here. I look both up and down,
I cannot see even the shadow of his beard.
O believers, only speak to me!
Tell me where he’s gone who shone like blue flame in my conceiving eye.
Shout out his name and your echoing bones shall never crumble in the receiving grave.
You who kissed his hand are blessed. Even in death your lips shall remain as sweet as grapes.

And should I? Should I be grateful?
For the beauty of his face or the sweet severity of his soul?
His lucid soul, no longer sketched in memory of his body – I do not care.
My love revolves like the planets around the storm of his sun.

I am calling, calling out for Shams.
I chant familiar names of friendship.
Lighten our dark grief, enliven the ears’ lassitude with the energy of his name.

credits

from Desert Songs - Memories of Rumi, released April 6, 2018
Composed and produced by Esbe
Vocals and programming - Esbe
Violins - Anna Hemery, Anne Wood
Viola – Philip D'Arcy
Cello – Dinah Beamish

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Esbe UK London, UK

Esbe is a Royal Academy of Music graduate, a composer, producer, and vocalist from London. Her music is an eclectic blend of many influences, from her pure classical roots, but uniquely drawing on contemporary, world music and film scoring. Esbe’s writing has been partly inspired by her North African and Eastern European heritage. This eclectic blend makes for a unique and distinctive sound. ... more

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