c. 1145-1221
Attar
Farid ud-Din Attar, a pharmacist-poet of Nishapur. His Conference of the Birds tells of thirty birds who cross seven valleys to find their king, the Simurgh, and discover it in themselves.
Every line we carry
Each one links to its source, what it means, and the shirt in any of our looks.
- Thirty birds looked, and they were the Simurgh.
The birds cross seven valleys looking for the Simurgh, a king of birds, and only thirty survive. When they finally arrive they see that they themselves are the Simurgh; in Persian "si murgh" means "thirty birds". The thing you are searching for is often what the search makes you into.
The Conference of the Birds (Mantiq al-Tayr), the thirty birds before the Simurgh, our translation from the Persian
- Whoever comes here sees himself.
The Simurgh tells the birds its presence is a mirror: whoever arrives sees himself in it. You find what you bring. The long journey to something great ends in a clear look at who you are.
The Conference of the Birds (Mantiq al-Tayr), the thirty birds before the Simurgh, our translation from the Persian
- Thirty came, so thirty appear in the mirror.
The Simurgh explains that thirty birds came, so thirty appear in the mirror; had forty or fifty come, they would have lifted a veil from themselves and seen that. What you meet at the end depends on what you are. Show up whole.
The Conference of the Birds (Mantiq al-Tayr), the thirty birds before the Simurgh, our translation from the Persian