Essential Rumi – Reissue

Coleman Barks

Overview

This reissue presents Coleman Barks’ modern English versions of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s 13th-century Persian poetry. The collection draws on Barks’ four decades of interpretation, rendering the ecstatic Sufi verses into contemporary idiom without academic jargon. Readers encounter recurring themes of love, exile, and the longing for union with the divine, conveyed through concise ghazals and longer narrative poems such as the Masnavi excerpts. The volume maintains the rhythmic pulse of the originals while making the dervish’s voice accessible to today’s English readership.

Who it's for

• Readers seeking spiritual poetry beyond devotional clichés
• Students of comparative literature exploring Sufi thought
• Writers looking for cross-cultural lyrical inspiration

Key features

• Language: English translations from Persian
• Translator: Coleman Barks
• Format: reissue edition
• Content: selections across Barks’ earlier Rumi volumes