Bulla! To Me, I Am Not Known

The first time I met love, it had no shoes, draped in a torn robe, not a house to dwell in and singing the verses of Bulla Shah's poetry in the streets of the city that had long forgotten love. I grew up in the period of severe civil and political unrest. In that chaos, Bulla Shah - a 17th-century poet/philosopher's words were a beacon of light. His poems planted the seeds of love, peace and non-duality. In this poem, he is refusing to see himself through any identities or the lens of duality.

Transcript

I am not in the holy places of believers,

Nor am I in the rituals of godlessness.

I am not in Peor or the impure,

Nor am I Moses or Pharaoh.

Bula,

To me I am not known.

I am not in the scriptures of holy books,

Nor am I in opium or booze.

I am not in the intoxicating madness,

Nor am I in cleanliness or a filthy moor.

Nor am I in sleep or weakfulness,

Nor am I in joy or in sorrow.

Nor am I water or earth,

Nor am I fire or wind.

I am not an Arab or from Lahore,

Nor am I from the India city Nagar.

I am not a Hindu or a Turk,

Nor the secrets of religions I have found,

Nor from Adam and Eve I was born.

Nor did I give myself any name,

Nor am I in stillness or in change.

Nor am I in stillness or in change.

From beginning till end I looked within.

Only self I have known.

In understanding myself I recognized separate from me is no one.

To know the self wiser than this can be none.

Who is this standing alone?

Bula,

To me I am not known.

To me I am not known.

Reviews

Beautiful homage to Baba Bulleh Shah. Thank you for sharing this piece -peace and love

Thank you for this tremendous and beautiful grounding. I’m so grateful 🌅

Beautiful

It was serenely

Delicate & soulful. A thousand Namaste. 🙏🏼🕊✨😌

Beautiful ! Truly amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this Syra :)

Wonderful! Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏