The Madman: His Parables and Poems
by Kahlil Gibran
2002 reprint of the 1918 original
Dover Publications
$4.95 paperback
ISBN 0-486-41911-8
Book reviewed by Kavita Khajuria
“Here I sit between my brother the mountain and my sister the sea. We three are one in loneliness, and the love that binds us together is deep and strong and strange”
The Madman is a collection of 34 poems and parables authored by well known legendary poet, artist and philosopher, Kahlil Gibran. Themes include suffering, solitude, imperfections, masks, misconceptions, perspectives and the self. This particular collection describes the power of freedom in authenticity. It resonates solitude, defiance and aloneness – deep expressions of the heart and soul, with certain aspects speaking to lost periods in ones life. Gibran questions as to whether one can truly accept and embrace all aspects of the self and challenges in this worldly life. He also addresses worldly power, potential ironies of justice and influence, the traps of enthronement and self absorption, and emphasizes the reality of imperfections and impermanence – as there is no ‘perfect’ person. This book contains deep expressions of the heart and soul, which can be profoundly healing, but should be used with caution, depending on the state of the mind of the reader.
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