Beyond wrongdoing, beyond right,
There is a field, Rumi’s Field,
It’s far past hate and black and white,
And I will meet you there.
Facts are facts, what’s true is true.
But I know different facts from you.
And when this bloody day is through,
We’ll meet in Rumi’s Field.
(“Rumi’s Field,” by Peter Melnick)
Based on a new song by Peter Melnick, Rumi’s Field is a multi-disciplinary performance piece featuring an international assemblage of performers, combining elements of dance, orchestral and world music and other arts, in support of the value of humanism.
Rumi’s Field is being developed by the Creative Diplomacy Project, which brings together the highest caliber Israeli talent in creative collaboration with extraordinary members of the global community. Creative Diplomacy creates cultural bridges in an effort at broadening the world’s perceptions about Israel. On a deeper, spiritual level, Creative Diplomacy is about inspiring people, and about making a difference.
Rumi’s Field
We glare at them
Through chinks in the fence,
Trying to mount
An insane defense,
Keep telling ourselves
We’ll figure it out,
But we’re only standing
In the shadow of a doubt.
My friend from Ramallah
Is an angel of light.
With the music he plays,
He’s getting it right.
His soul is sweet
But his heart is aching.
When he sings and we play,
It’s peace we’re making.
Beyond wrongdoing, beyond right,
There is a field, Rumi’s field.
It’s far past hate and black and white,
And I will meet you there.
Facts are facts, what’s true is true.
But I know different facts from you.
And when this bloody day is through,
We’ll meet in Rumi’s Field.
Justice, justice
Shall you pursue.
But you must love
The stranger too,
The story that you never knew -
Don’t you want to know?
The best lack conviction,
While so many are filled
With self-righteous anger
And more blood gets spilled.
And there is a house I yearn to build
Out in Rumi’s Field.
Beyond wrongdoing, beyond right,
There’s a field, Rumi’s field.
It’s far past hate and black and white,
And I will meet you there.
Facts are facts, what’s true is true.
But I know different facts from you.
And when this bloody day is through,
We’ll meet in Rumi’s field.
Peace unto you
Salam, Shalom
Everybody got to have
Respect and a home
And I know a place
Where we all belong
Out in Rumi’s Field.
Beyond wrongdoing, beyond right,
There’s a field, Rumi’s field.
It’s far past hate and black and white,
And I will meet you there.
Facts are facts, what’s true is true.
But I know different facts from you.
And when this bloody day is through,
We’ll meet in Rumi’s Field.
© Peter Melnick 2016