Analysis of Rumi's Moon Poem in Frankfurter Anthologie Series

The Frankfurter Anthologie series features an analysis of Dschalaluddin Rumi's four-line poem "Gestern nacht - im Schlaf" ("Last Night - In Sleep"). The poem, written in the 13th century, appears in Rumi's "Diwan" collection containing over 35,000 verses. Rumi, born in 1207 in Balkh (present-day Afghanistan), was a Sufi scholar whose mystical poetry explores themes of love and spiritual union. The poem uses the moon as a symbolic representation of a beloved friend, reflecting Rumi's profound relationship with the wandering dervish Shamsuddin Tabrizi. The analysis examines the poem's Persian origins, its translation by Gisela Wendt, and its connection to broader poetic traditions including the Song of Songs. Rumi's whirling dervish tradition has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage since 2005.