I Only Know What I Have Experienced

Rumi--Wean Yourself by Coleman Barks

little by little wean yourself
this is the gist of what i have to say
from an embryo whose nourishment comes in blood
move to an infant drinking milk
to a child on solid food
to a searcher after wisdom
to a hunter of more invisible game

think how it is to have a conversation with an embryo
you might say
the world outside is vast and intricate
there are wheat fields and mountains passes and orchards in bloom
at night there are millions of galaxies
and in sunlight the beauty of friends dancing at a wedding

you ask the embryo why he or she stays cooped up in the dark with its eyes closed
listen to the answer

there is no other world
i only know what i have experienced
you must be hallucinating

think how it is
to have a conversation with an embryo
you might say the world outside is vast and intricate
there are wheat fields and mountain passes and orchards in bloom
at night there are millions of galaxies
and in sunlight the beauty of friends dancing at a wedding

you ask the embryo
why he or she stays cooped up in the dark with its eyes closed
listen to its answer

there is no other world
i only know what I've experienced
you must be hallucinating