Love Poem by Sultan Walad

From this foul, fulsome world, Rumi moved on
After ten sweet years with Hosam al-Din
On a December's day, the seventeenth
came to pass that proud monarch's moving on
Of years six hundred seventy and two
since the Hijra of the Prophet* had gone by
The eye of mankind wept so sore that day
its lightning struck and burned away the souls
A quaking overtook the earth that moment
in the heavens rose a wail of mourning
The people of the town, both young and old
wailed and wept and sighed in lamentation
The villagers nearby, both Greeks and Turks
in pain upon his loss rent wide their collars
all paid the corpse their last loving respects
Folks from every faith proved faithful to him
in love with him the people of all nations

Translation by Professor Franklin D. Lewis