Mirabai

That dark Dweller in Braj
Is my only refuge.
O my companion,
Worldly comfort is an illusion,
As soon you get it, it goes.
I have chosen the Indestructible for my refuge,
Him whom the snake of death
Will not devour.
My Beloved dwells in my heart,
I have actually seen that Abode of Joy.
Mira's Lord is Hari, the Indestructible.
My Lord, I have taken refuge with Thee,
Thy slave.

My daughter is named Mira after Mirabai, so she definitely is one of my favourite poets. The spiritual voice is clearly evident in all her writings. Her path to reach god or salvation was through pure, unquestioning devotion. She was part of a larger movement called the Bhakti movement, that was taking place in India in the 16th century.

It seems from the three poets, Sappho, Rabi'a and Mirabai, the central theme is that of not fitting in or the outsider. All the three women were not part of mainstream society, often they had serious problems. Maybe the way they dealt with difficulties was by reaching out to something larger. For Mira it was her love for Krishna.

The poem above speaks about the idea of impermanence, and the illusion of worldly comforts, while at the same time expressing deep love for Lord Krishna.