** I was provided an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Rumi has always been one of my quintessential favorite poets and so it was an immense pleasure to get to read for review as well. This collection was an endeavor to retranslate some of Rumi's poetry much closer and clearer to the heart of his messages. I love each and every on of these. I, also, think they are amazing pieces that require longer and deeper meditation on than most current/popular poetry.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

This collection of unseen poems from Rumi are quite typical of the rest of their work.

I did enjoy a number of pieces from the collection, unfortunately, the rest of the collection was more or less the same.

I think Rumi's work is the kind of poetry that you dip into and take something from each time, rather than reading it from cover to cover.

I would recommend this to any literary/ history fans out there that have enjoyed reading from Rumi's collections in the past.

This collection covered spiritual themes and while I appreciate the gravity behind the work, it wasn't a new favourite.

Brad Gooch and Maryam Mortaz set out correct ignorant translations of Rumi’s poems, and they definitely have. This is a gorgeous collection and I’m sure I’ll continue to enjoy it for years to come!

'You're at peace when you don't need more or less, When you don't need to be a king or a saint, When you're free from the sorrows of the world, When you're free from the tiniest atom of himself'.



The 13rd century Sufi mystic Rumi is enjoying an outstanding popularity nowadays. During those times of 'me-time', and other selfish excuses we invent to avoid for fully assuming human relationships, some might find refuge in its poetry. Or looking for excuses. Which is wrong.

Rumi is writing about being one and free, but only for joining the togetherness thereafter. Isolation is not for him an act of singular and lonely destiny, but an intermediate stage during which the spirit is getting accustomed with both happiness and sorrow, ackowledge them just to feel further liberated from them.

Many of his poems are easily categorized in the 'Love' shelf, but for me it often refer to a much bigger and stable one, aiming at the spiritual meeting between creature and Creator. More than once, his love poems reminded me of the hidden beauty of Shir Ha'Shirim (The Song of Songs).

Those are my fresh thoughts on Rumi after going more than once through the recently Unseen poems published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group last autumn. There is no surprise that many of Rumi published poems are in fact translations of translations which seems to happen often in the case of Persian poetry. I personally own an old edition of Shahnameh by Ferdowsi which I discovered recently was in fact translated from a French edition. The Rumi poems collected in this edition are not only first time published for the English-speaking public but translated from the original Persian by Brad Gooch and Maryam Mortaz.

We need more poetry, more insights and guidance through spiritual life, and less selfishness and mean excuses for a 'safe' life of emotional isolationism. Read correctly, with an open heart Rumi can offer a remedy.

What a gift to have additional Rumi poems. The way the words spring to life, the emotions they deliver. A glimpse at humanity but a realization there are whole other cultures out there as well. Same yet different.

It’s incredibly challenging to define Rumi’s verses. His famous lyric ghazals, similar to sonnets in length and impact, go beyond poetry or any other artistic expression. They raise up to an unusual blend of undiluted spirituality, mystical philosophy and scholarly theology.

Widely translated and internationally acclaimed, Rumi’s work transcends the barriers of language, culture and even religion. Love is the indisputable protagonist in Rumi’s lyrical meditations, a kind of love that is all-embracing and doesn’t limit itself with categorizations. Rumi loves limitlessly and he loves without ego, he loves everything and everyone at once: nature, people, his ancestors, his mentor and God. And so divine love and personal poems of aching human love fuse effortlessly and his verses become a unique chant to the sacred unity between body and soul, a mystical union with love itself.

Reading Rumi is a formidable experience. His effusive verses inebriated me, such abundance of feeling made my head spin, my heart race. His passion and abundance can even be overwhelming as there is so much wisdom and intensity in Rumi’s stanzas that it’s sometimes challenging to absorb the depth of their meaning.
Rumi is dizzyingly creative, but at the same time he repeats himself, and certain imagery such as stars, moons, nightingales and roses are ever-present in his extensive oeuvre, and so reading his verses in a row might assimilate to a trance experience.

Amidst such an exuberance of lyrical mystery and universal love, what I will most remember of this collection is Rumi’s humble exaltation of the present moment and his capacity to find something to love, something divine in every particle of the universe, even in silences, which express what can’t be articulated in words.

“Rip this poem apart like an old piece of cloth
To set meaning free from words, wind, and air.”

I was happy to read something more original from my heritage and I've always heard my father praise Rumi. Now that I've read some of his poems I think my conclusion is that I like the intent and many ways you can interpret the poems more than the actual execution. There are some lovely pieces, deep and wise, and some.. that are just a little random and without rhythm. A very mixed experience for me.

I couldn't get into the poems in Rumi by Rumi, the writing was a little dry for me. I ended up dnfing Rumi, the writing didn't mix well with me so I couldn't finish it.

Rumi
Unseen Poems

by Rumi

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Everyman’s Library

Poetry , Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 10 Sep 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Rumi Unseen Poems
through Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and Everyman’s Library:

Rumi once said “Love speaks a thousand languages.”

Rumi who lived from 1207-1273 and was trained in Sufism, a mystic tradition within Islam, the Sufi order used dance and music as part of their Spiritual devotion.

Rumi’s poetry has been popular with Contemporary Westerners because of the way it combines the sacred and the sensual, describing divine love in human terms.

This beautiful collection of Rumi’s poems speaks of a deep faith and love the way a modern reader can understand and appreciate.

I give Rumi Unseen Poems five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

I started reading this book a few days ago which is a collection of around 220 unseen poems by Maulana Jalāl ud-Dīn Muhammad Balkhi aka Rumi, the old Persian poet that came in the limelight in early 2000's after his works were bought into the western world. His poems are not contemporary types that end after hitting enter after every 5 words🙃 safe to say it took a while to read this
🔸
I had heard that his poems are mostly dedicated to God, which they are a lot of times but then again I couldn't help but acknowledge the big deal of poems dedicated to his ustadh Shams-i-Tabrīzī or Shams al-Din. I mean who writes about their master SO damn much? Craved his presence SO much? Is all gaga over them? And given that their interacting sessions were kept highly private I couldn't help but wonder.
Soooo....I have been doing some digging. To quote directly from an expert on the topic:
🔸
"Here are some nitty-gritty facts about these two. Shams drank, Rumi did not. Their companionship, although short lived, was about transmission of power and high secret knowledge and it was never physical. Think about it, why else would Rumi offer him a wife if they were physically involved? Shams' powers grew while he was with Rumi. Rumi saw mysterious he never thought possible.
I would tell you about their experiences but they are so magnificent and so far removed from our reality that they would fall into the zone of Sci-Fi.[tahoora: how cool is that😭]However, their meetings were not just about discourse, they were experiential. Meaning Shams was able to bestow direct experiences to Rumi, rather than just discussing them in theory. These direct experiences also included manifestation of imagery and beings from other times and dimensions. I'll keep the more juicy details for my talks and workshops."
BEING ALWAYS MOVED BY SUPER POWERS SINCE CHILDHOOD I REALLY WANT TO ATTEND THIS PERSONS WORKSHOPS SO BAD NOW. it's either going to be mind blowing or super creepy🙃

Coming back to the book, the book is super tiring at one givent ime when you are halfway through it since most pf the poems are about his ustadh only. Not going to lie, the poetry in them is super super amazing but the repetition of the subject was done so many times i eventually lost interest in the book and left it at 60% I guess there was a reason these poems were unseen, very few people would like this kind of repetition. I feel if before every poem there was a context to the story behind it, it would've been better. however, i had to do that extra work and it got tiring after a while. I am looking forward to read another renowned Rumi's work tho and i'm hoping it changes my mind about Rumi.

Just wonderful! I was very happy to get a chance to read this beautiful collection, which had a soothing effect on this lover of crime fiction and thrillers:-)

I loved the introduction! Amazing rendition of new poetry! The formatting on my kindle made a few selections difficult to read. I wish there were more footnotes for further context as well.

I got a copy from NetGalley of unseen Rumi Poems. Since I hadn't read his work, I figured this was a good place as any to start. I have to say maybe it was the collection I read, but although I like his style, I'm not passionate about all his topics. His work seems to focus on love (of God, and of others) as well as what makes life good, and enjoyable. While I did enjoy the poems of the latter, most of his God focus poems read like prayers or religious text with references to different religions/beliefs. The collection itself was well accomplished, as well as the translations, which are not an easy task.

“The earth receives light from your moon, Like a thousand planets and suns shining in the firmament.”
I have read his poems in Farsi and this translation is wonderful. Looking at the world through Rumi’s eyes is amazing his poetry is timeless.
I strongly believe that every one should read this book at least once.

Many Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the Arc.

Poetry is fickle for a lot of people. Some enjoy everything, and some are more discerning, but once thing most of us have is common is that we agree Rumi is one of the greats. Rumi has a way of talking about love and life that will knock you down, and this collection of some previously unpublished works delivers what we have come to expect from the poet.

Another sublime collection from my favorite poet.
I don't think that any of his writings would ever disappoint me.
Rumi speaks to the human soul in such unmatched eloquence.

Highly recommended read.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read this beautiful book.

Rumi is one of my favourite poets. His words are deep and inspirational. This book did not disappoint and only showed even deeper layers to his insight into the human condition. This is a beautiful collection and a must have for any Rumi fan. The only reason for 4 stars because it could have been indexed a little better. If you're looking for new Rumi inspiration, look no further.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having long been a fan of Rumi, I was delighted to read these new poems. The formatting was a bit difficult on my Kindle, so I think I'd prefer the book better. They were poignant, thoughtful and true to what I love most about his writing. I can't wait to add this to my collection.

Disclaimer: I was given an advance reading copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the opportunity.

I've never read anything from Rumi before, so when I saw that this book was available for request, I immediately hit the request button. Luckily, I was approved!

This book holds beautiful words and messages. I've always heard great things from his works, and reading this made me want to read more of his writings in the future. I know a lot of people will find this relatable and other will connect with these string of words in a level that's unique for each one of them.

Truly incredible, and I can't wait for the world to read these.

A beautiful collection of Rumi's poetry. A great translation. I read this collection with a cuppa and a plate of cakes. It was pure joy. Highly recommended.