By Sacinandana Swami
Free the bird of your love
from the iron cage of selfishness
and it will fly high into the open sky.
Yes, when love escapes the prison,
the needy thief becomes a generous donor,
giving precious gifts without demanding returns.
Pure, vast, jubilant,
it flies beyond the limits – even of this sky,
suddenly changing from a sparrow to an eagle.
Until it lands at the feet of the Beloved
where it is instructed in a new art:
to dive deep into the ocean of divine ecstasy.
And when the mighty bird of your love
returns from that sphere,
it is no longer brown but dazzling golden.
It loves like the sun – unconditional,
giving its nourishing rays to all
without ever asking for something in return,
and never becoming tired or exhausted.