A Magician Whose Flare Leaves the Words Themselves Mesmerized: Khalil Gibran in “The Prophet”

“The Prophet” is a book oft quoted, talked about, strewn casually in a conversion of literature’s best. I was enlightened with the reason for this, only recently. What an amazing read! The subject matter was simple, in fact very ordinary that it should have been boring, but this man worked wonders.

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He frames simple truths, as poems but every single piece had a moment of enlightenment, realization of a profound truth. The book follows Almustafa, the prophet as he lectures the people from the city of Orphalese before his departure. People ask his counsel on life’s various aspects and the prophet replies prudently and in careful words illustrates how to live. 

This book is meant to be reread multiple times if we are to fathom the true essence of it. Thus, this review is lacking in a lot of ways. But in one parameter it has done its job just right. That is to recognize the beauty, emphasis and being in the presence of great art. 

“For self is a sea boundless and measureless”

“The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals”

“You delight in laying down laws

Yet you delight more in breaking them”

“For in that day you shall know the hidden purposes in all things, 

And you shall bless darkness as you would bless light”.

The book is filled with such tremendous lines and his metaphors are explicitly simple yet mind blowing. The text holds the potential for an in depth analysis not to mention multiple interpretations. I was told that the book speaks to you differently as you age, hence I am refraining myself from analyzing it in order to savor it for the future when it could be more accurate. 

Even though I couldn’t fathom all the levels of analysis or interpretation, the read still was interesting. There were points when I needed a break, but overall it is a must read, especially for poetry and philosophy lovers. 

So for now, I am cutting this review short, but when I do read it again, I plan on doing a detailed review.

“It was but yesterday we met in a dream…

…And if our hands should meet in another dream, we shall build another tower in the sky.”