The Purity of Desire: 100 Poems Inspired by Rumi

Daniel Ladinsky’s unforgettable lyrical poems are inspired by the cherished verse of Rumi.

Renowned for his poignant interpretations of Hafiz’s mystical texts, Daniel Ladinsky captures the beauty, intimacy, and musicality of another of Islam’s most beloved poets and spiritual thinkers.  In collaboration here with Nancy Owen Barton, they explore the nuances of desire—that universal emotion—in verse inspired by Rumi’s love and admiration for his companion and spiritual teacher, Shams-e Tabriz. Rather than offer a literal translation capturing the form of a particular classical work, Ladinsky and Barton craft poems that release the spirit of Rumi. These poems thoughtfully capture the compelling wisdom of one of Islam’s most revered artistic and religious voices and one of the most widely read poets in the English language.

Daniel Ladinsky is an acclaimed poet and renderer of mystical poetry. His books include The Gift, The Subject Tonight Is Love, I Heard God Laughing, A Year with Hafiz, Love Poems from God, The Purity of Desire, and Darling, I Love You. For six years, he made his home in a spiritual community in western India, where he worked and lived with the intimate disciples and family of Avatar Meher Baba. He lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Nancy Owen Barton is a literary agent, educator, and movement therapist. She has collaborated with Ladinsky since the publication of his first Hafiz volume in 1996.