Coleman Barks, the American poet who brought the verses of the 13th-century Islamic mystic Rumi to a vast Western audience, has died at 88.
Barks did not speak Persian, the language of the original poems. His transformative work involved reinterpreting existing scholarly translations into contemporary, lyrical English. His versions became a cornerstone of New Age spirituality, selling millions of copies worldwide.
His death was confirmed by his publisher. Barks’s accessible and emotive renderings made Rumi a household name, though some scholars noted they departed significantly from the original texts’ Islamic context. His readings, often accompanied by music, captivated global audiences for decades.