Today, the ecstatic poetry of Jelaluddin Rumi is more popular than ever, and Coleman Barks, through his musical and magical translations, has been instrumental in bringing this exquisite literature to devoted followers. Here, Barks has gathered the essential poems of Rumi and put them together in this comprehensive collection that delights with playful energy and unequaled passion. The Essential Rumi offers the most beautiful rendering of the primary poetry of Rumi to both devoted enthusiasts and novice readers. Poems about everything from bewilderment, emptiness, and silence to flirtation, freedom, and devotion are presented with the deepest love, humor, and tenderness. Drink in the words of Jelaluddin Rumi and feel yourself transported to the mystical places of a whirling, ecstatic poet.