Fish to the Fisher

In 2018, Jeff Wolverton and I published a book of poetry, "Whistling Past the Tavern." Shortly after publication, I found myself working on a poem that would have made a good ending for that book.

The poem, "Whistling Past the Tavern," begins this book. It makes a statement but at the same time asks the unstated question, what now? ─ a question containing many questions and responses that are I believe, for all lovers of Meher Baba, deeply felt in many ways: How do I love You more? How shall I please You? What do You wish me to do? What now? Endless questions, pleas, cries, shouts, whispers, silences.

Though a few of the poems in this volume are memories decades old, most of them came to me more recently, in early morning while looking at a smiling photograph of Baba and reading His words or stories of His lovers ─ looking, reading, looking ─ in laughter, tears, confusion, joy, sorrow, darkness, light.

Bob Jaeger

What can we do when this outer life today fails to feed our soul? We have to turn inward to Him with our helpless, homemade approaches, as we swing from moments of great intimacy to periods of inevitable loneliness in the heart, an aloneness so deeply expressed in these poems which is really the longing for Him, a very silent, wordless grief that reminds me of the grief that Hafiz, Baba's favorite poet, was forever expressing in his poetry.

In these poems is contained the naked heart so clearly and vividly expressed, and I am reminded of the thousands of moments in my own day-to-day life when I feel the same. It is clear that Baba is the only one who truly knows him and listens to his heart. I thoroughly recommend spending time in the deep heart where these poems have come into being.

Jeff Wolverton