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Kabir: Ecstatic Poems
 
 
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Kabir: Ecstatic Poems [Hardcover]

Robert Bly (Translator)
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)


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Book Description

April 15, 2004
Originally published in 1976 and having sold more than 75,000 copies to date, Kabir is a classic. Now, we are proud to publish a revised, beautifully designed hardcover edition that includes 10 new translations.

A weaver by trade but a poet-singer by calling, Kabir lived in fifteenth-century India. His philosophy incorporated the beliefs and practices of both Muslims and Hindus. Not only did Kabir influence these religious traditions, he was one of the major inspirations behind Sikhism as well.

The power of Kabir's words come from his passion—and also from his humor. He is at once irreverent toward authority and amazed by divinity. He demands that readers live for themselves. In the tradition of ecstatic poetry, Kabir writes of bodily delights and of choices made by the heart, not the mind.

Columbia University professor of religion John Stratton Hawley's new introduction places Kabir's work firmly into modern times, explaining the value of Bly's work with these poems. As our contemporary world struggles with political turmoil caused by religious beliefs, the poems of Kabir seem as relevant today as when they were first written.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Kabir's poems give off a marvelous radiant intensity that never fails…they have exactly the luminous depth that permits and invites many rereadings.—Hayden Carruth, New York Times Book Review

"One of the luminous experiences of American poetry… Kabir is a poet who connects the modes of thinking, feeling, intuition and sensation at every turn of thought and phrase."—Jonathan Cott, Rolling Stone

"Robert Bly earns the thanks of us all. I, for one, will reread [Bly's Kabir] often. Kabir can be seen as a welcome member to that brotherhood of mystic American poets, novelists and painters."—Paul Carroll, The American Poetry Review

"Without Bly, modern American poetry would be unrecognizable in its current form. Without his poems, his translations, and his devotion to poetry, American literature would have taken a different turn in its rich and influential history." —Ray González, The Bloomsbury Review --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Robert Bly has earned many honors for his original poems, which include The Winged Energy of Delight, and for his translations of twenty-two poets, including Kabir. He is the author of the bestseller Iron John, and with Jane Hirshfield has published a new translation of Mirabai (Beacon / 6386-6 / $16.00).

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 104 pages
  • Publisher: Beacon Press; Revised edition (April 15, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0807063843
  • ISBN-13: 978-0807063842
  • Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #374,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
4.9 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Robert Bly's amazing translation, July 22, 2007
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This review is from: Kabir: Ecstatic Poems (Paperback)
Beautiful translation of one of my favorite mystic poets! Robert Bly's translation of Kabir allows us to experience this mystic poet in a personal way without losing any of the beauty of the poetry. Really enjoyed this book.
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Sufi and Indian depth combined, September 9, 2004
By 
Steve Uhlig (Berlin, Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Kabir: Ecstatic Poems (Hardcover)
Indeed these poems are of such a depth that it is difficult to render their content. Let's say it's the Sufi tradition in full. Just glimpses of the Absolute Truth expressed in words. Let the power of the sound embrace your whole being. Excellent!
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38 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing Wisdom, April 20, 2004
By 
Kenneth M. Goodman (Cleveland, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Kabir: Ecstatic Poems (Hardcover)
It's so hard to find WISDOM these days...
not "moral/ethical" wisdom, or "financial" wisdom,
but ECSTATIC WISDOM.
So few people are interested in the subject of
actually experiencing divine ecstasy...they're too
tied down by dogma, worship of imagery & robotic
ceremonies, etc. That's why this Kabir book by Mr. Bly
is so refreshing...like a real literary Oasis.
It's LOADED with wisdom of the divine ecstasy kind.
I don't care about any translation controversies...
I just approach the book as its own entity...and
understand the ecstatic wisdom it radiates.
I want to thank Mr. Bly for producing this book of
ecstatic wisdom poetry...there's so little of it
available. THANK YOU MR. BLY.
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