The prophet

This solid comics adaptation from Lewis (the Kismet, Man of Faith series) and artist Rentería joins other recent graphic interpretations in framing a plot around the poetic original. After living for 12 years in Orphalese, Almustafa, the "Prophet of God," spies a ship arriving from his homeland. As he prepares to depart, the people, led by the seeress Almitra, urge him to "speak to us and give us of your truth." Almustafa wanders the streets, imparting aphoristic teachings on such topics as love, children, work, and freedom to a clearly devoted public. The action unfolds in an unspecified Mediterranean country populated by romanticized archetypes (the stoic widow, the seemingly innocent femme fatale), and Rentería's clean black-and-white comics literalize Almustafa's metaphors and symbols, such as rendering a stone fruit's pit as the knowledge brought by pain, or the strings of a lute to represent marriage (though threaded separately, they "quiver with the same music"). While hewing close to the original text, Lewis and Rentería fill in the prophet's backstory through wordless flashbacks, portraying him as a young man caught up in military actions and a romantic betrayal; these narrative flourishes offer fresh angles on Gibran's words. Though primarily suited to those who already hold The Prophet dear, this has the potential to create new fans. (June)

ON LOVE   Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.   And he raised his head and looked upon the peo­ple, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:   When love beckons to you, follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.     For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.   Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,   So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.     Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.     All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.     But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,   Then it is better for you that you cover your na­kedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,   Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.     * * *     Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.   Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;   For love is sufficient unto love.     When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."   And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.     Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ec­stasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips. Excerpted from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.