Rock Solid....by Rumi

Everyone baked by the divine Sun 
will become rock solid: 
without dread or shame, 
his features fiery and veil-rending, 
like the face of the peerless Sun. 

Every prophet was hard-faced in this world,
and beat single-handed against the army of kings,
and did not turn his face from fear or pain,
but single and alone
dashed against a whole world.

The stone is hard-faced and bold-eyed,
unafraid of the bricks thrown by the world.
For the bricks were made strong in the kiln,
but the rock was hardened by a Godly art.

~ Rumi
Mathnawi III: 4139-4144
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Art by George Atherton