Poetry Wrote Over Several Years on Spiritual, Religious, and Devotional Subjects. |
Devotional Poetry My Search I Into the mystic realm, I let my mind take flight, Over stone strewn highways, I search the endless night. I was the Wanderer, Looking for a goal, And the Seeker, Searching for my soul. I walked the roads of idle fancy, Paths of material delight, Stumbling over stones of vain imaginings, In my search for the light. A voice deep within me cried: "Here doesn't lay your goal, Upon these darkened pathways, You'll never find your sou." II Into the mystic realm, Again my mind took flight, Over well traveled highways, I search the misty twilight. I was a Seeer, Seeking an unknown goal, And a Stranger, To my own soul. In this realm of half-light, I strolled the roads of tradition, Picking my way carefully, Through the shadows of superstition. Still from within came the cry: "Not in this realm is your goal, Upon these half-lit pathways, You'll never find your soul" III Into the mystic realm, Again I took flight, And walked the paths, Where God has shed His light. I walked the hallowed highways, Trod by the Prophets of old, Strolled the ancient paths, Strewn with nuggets of pure gold. This is the wondrous realm, Where all paths become one, This is the glorious land, Illuminated by God's sun. Through the Word of God, I have found my soul, In the Messenger for this age, I have found my goal. Poet's Note: ▼ |
The Season and Civilization: A Metaphor February 24, 2019 at 4:36pm The Seasons and Civilization:
A Metaphor
Spring is a time of new beginnings,
When nature begins a new year,
A time of new births and stronger feelings:
A new age; the judgment day men fear.
Summer is a time of growing,
A time for nature' beauty to mature:
This is the time of empire building,
When a new civilization looks to the future.
Fall and winter--a time of harvesting and dying,
When nature is at its lowest ebb--
Civilization is in decay and awaiting the Prophet'... [Read more] Conversation Between Friends February 23, 2019 at 5:59pm Conversation Between Friends
Isn't the sunrise beautiful today?
The reds,
so soft,
so light,
they appear
almost chalk pink
in their tones.
See how the reds
change the colors of the storm clouds
resting on top
of the mountains.
The clouds
at the farther end of the bank
look like smouldering coals;
embers
waiting to catch fire.
The clouds
at the nearest end of the bank
appear
to be bleeding.
Well,
I must be going now
duty calls.
Thank You,
dear Lord,
f... [Read more] Thoughts on Voices From Wah 'Kon-Tah February 22, 2019 at 8:50pm Thoughts on Voices From Wah 'Kon-Tah
Myths of the Noble Savage
and the Red Devil
combine to create stereotypical ghosts
that Voices From Wah 'Kon-Tah
dispel
To experience the soul of a culture
one must
consume its heart
in small honey coated bits
wrapped in bitter herbs.
Wah 'Koh-Tah--
The Great Mystery--
the life force flowing
through every atom of the planet,
sends visions
to guide and instruct;
visions
that the pen intones
upon the pages of exist... [Read more] The Wayfarers' Journey February 22, 2019 at 11:40am The Wayfarers' Journey
"And further: the stages that mark the wayfarers’ journey from their mortal abode to the heavenly homeland are said to be seven. Some have referred to them as seven valleys, and others, as seven cities. And it is said that until the wayfarer taketh leave of self and traverseth these stages, he shall never attain the ocean of nearness and reunion nor taste of the matchless wine."
Baha'u'llah{footnote:#} The Seven Valleys
Stone on stone fou... [Read more] Meditations on The Writings of Baha'u'llah July 29, 2023 at 5:22pm 1
My Sanctuary
In the words of Baha'u'llah,
I find a fortress safe and strong
where the cares and strife of modern life
neither linger nor belong.
His words inspire my heart to find
the love that hate conceals,
His pen inscribes upon my spirit
the faith that tests reveal.
His verses are my sanctuary
bestowing peace on mind and soul,
His sacred scriptures God's book of laws
to which obedience is my goal.
2
Healing
Healing occurs
In the silent hours
Wh... [Read more] Jonah In The Belly of the Whale and Inside the Ark February 20, 2019 at 7:26pm Jonah
Inside the Belly of the Whale
Averse
to obey God's command
darkness envelop
the being
swallowed by the leviathan
of self.
Stomach acids digest
self's outer layer,
leave,
the inner kernel
on its knees
begging for salvation.
Inside the Ark
Out side a storm of hatred gathers,
To beat against the doors of faith,
As two by two humanity enters,
The Ark of God's Covenant.
Outside a storm of hatred rages
Beating against the doors of faith,
Insi... [Read more] Observation From Ground Zero: A Metaphor February 20, 2019 at 7:12pm Observation From Ground Zero:
A Metaphor
The intensity of the light
was such
that it penetrated
The back of my skull
to illuminate
my soul.
Turning,
to face its devastating beauty,
I stood open mouthed
as the sand
of truth
poured down my throat.
There was no turning back!
The choice was mine!
I could
either curl up in my foxhole
and hide
in the darkness of superstition.
Or
I could walk
naked across the new fabric of reality
and let
the radiation of faith... [Read more] The Cornerstone August 23, 2023 at 10:05pm The Cornerstone
of the Baha'i House of Worship
in Wilmette, Illinois
"The stone which the builders rejected
is to become the head stone of the corner."
Psalms 118:22
Cracked;
Rough;
Odd shaped;
Unremarkable;
Unsightly;
Natural unpolished stone.
Love looked within;
Love saw
The perfectly formed atoms
And subatomic particles,
That composed
The matter of the stone.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}I wrote this in Jamal 154 B.E. after reading the story... [Read more] Reading in Bed: Two Poems February 19, 2019 at 10:39pm Reading
Poetry In Bed
My mind
sated with verse
falls into a contemplative stupor.
Eye lids close,
pupils focus on the interplay
of light and shadow.
Words unassociated
with those I just read
jolt my mind.
Eye lids open,
pupils focus on the interplay
of meter and rhyme.
Reading
The Word of God in Bed
My mind
hungry for reality
consumes the Holy Words.
Eye lids
heavy with meditation
fight to stay open.
My mind
thirsty for the Water of Life
drinks long an... [Read more] I Write Of My Beloved July 26, 2020 at 7:52pm I Write
Of My Beloved
Shall I write
And not of Thee through Whom my fingers bend
To hold my quill?
George Herbert
I write of my Beloved
Through whom my fingers bend
To pick up my pen!
I write of my salvation
Using ink drawn from my own veins
To document my liberation!
I write of my pain
Caused by my ego's attempt to gain
My soul's allegiance!
I write of my fears
Caused by the disempowering years
In Self's prison!
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}... [Read more] Worshiping God in an Expanding Universe February 18, 2019 at 3:49pm Worshiping God in an Expanding Universe
Light year by light year
knowledge expands
pushing
the boundary of the physical universe;
the boundary of material reality
to the limits of perception.
Time and distance unite
to limit sight;
to construct an edge
to physical reality.
At the limit o f sight
the edges blur;
the boundaries merge:
beyond the physical cosmos
spiritual reality expands,
evolves.
The mystery deepens!
God,
the unknowable essence,
remains unknown;
unob... [Read more] The Days of Ayyam-i-Ha February 25, 2024 at 3:05pm The First Day of Ayyam-i-Ha
Dawn's wind echoes morning's song,
scattering the angels of the Almighty
across the Earth
to give hope to the hopeless,
food to the hungry,
homes to the homeless,
and drying the tears of sorrow.
The Second Day of Ayyam-i-Ha
The sun rose into a clear sky
its beauty proclaiming to all:
Happy Ayyam-i-Ha!
The Third Day of Ayyam-i-Ha
Gray clouds hid the sky's blue beauty,
but didn't prevent the sun from shining:
I can't le... [Read more] In My Best Interest February 15, 2019 at 9:44pm In My Best Interest
This is what is in my best interest to do:
To pray,
To work,
And to bring myself to account each day.
This is what is in my best interest to do:
To pray,
As if my prayer were the catalyst
For success.
This is what is in my best interest to do:
To work,
As if my work were the mechanism
For achievement.
This is what is in my best interest to do:
To bring myself to account each day,
As if my accounting were the channel
For accomplishment.
{dropnote:&... [Read more] Sharing Faith: A Prose Poem February 15, 2019 at 6:39pm Sharing Faith:
A Prose Poem
I carried it in my pocket hidden in the deep crevices of my skirt. I carried it hidden from prying eyes, from unappreciative souls, and from terror stricken hearts. I carried it safe from the dust and dirt of everyday life, safe from the ridicule of the uninitiated. I carried it for myself alone.
I carried it in my pocket taking i t out only when I was by myself. I looked at it only when I was hidden in the safety of my own fortress of solitude. I put it bac... [Read more] Thankful Thursday September 10, 2020 at 5:09pm Thankful Thursday
T he fifth day of the Gregorian week
H olds a special place for praise an gratitude:
A ll praise to the Singularity that created the universe.
N ame the Essence what y ou will, if that names helps you to worship:
K ing of kings, Allah, Jehovah, Lord of Host, Baha--
F aith in God does not affect the Essence--
U nbelief or belief shapes the individual soul,
L ove the Creator with all your being.
T hank God in adversity!
H allelulah!
U pon rising each m... [Read more] Happy Ridvan November 18, 2021 at 8:26pm Happy Ridvan
Rejoice for this is the day of the Lord!
The day when the Best Beloved's splendor,
Descends into the darkness of matter.
Rejoice for this is the day of the Lord!
The day when the Nightingale's melody,
Echoes through the Garden of Paradise.
Rejoice for this is the day of the Lord!
The day when the Most Great Spirit's sovereignty,
Defuses across the surface of the void.
Rejoice for this is the day of the Lord!
The day when the Word of God
Reverberates... [Read more] The Golden Rule February 14, 2019 at 5:51pm The Golden Rule
In all the sacred scriptures
Revealed through Divinity's Mirrors
The Golden Rule
Is stated in the language of the age.
In the language of Hinduism:
The believer's total obligation
Do not to others
That which is distressful to you.
In the language of Buddhism:
The believer is commanded
Harm not others with that which
You find hurtful.
In the language of Judaism:
The believer is instructed
Do not to others
That which is malicious to you.
In the ... [Read more] The Glory of Creation and Divine Creation February 14, 2019 at 8:10pm The Glory of Creation
"The glory of creation is in its infinite diversity.
And the ways our differences combine to create meaning."
Star Trek
Spelled out on the universe
In myriad forms
In countless subtleties of meaning
Immeasurable combinations of matter and energy
Inumerable complexities of spiritual and physical evolution
Combine to generate endless connotations
Infinite interpretations of reality
Divine Creation
Soul a divine creation;
a single undivided sub... [Read more] Reflections February 13, 2019 at 9:23pm Reflections
Spirit invigorated
by reading the sacred scriptures
opportunities for creativity sing to my muse.
Forgiveness is a journal entry
acknowledging that survival means
remembering the past indiscretions honestly.
Time moves swiftly,
happiness is a spiritual characteristic
that must be defined on an individual level,
and success is acquiring knowledge of self.
Weep when shedding tears is cleansing,
every material item is transitory
even the body that houses my soul,
... [Read more] Am I Asking The Right Question? February 12, 2019 at 7:58pm Am I Asking The Right Question?
We ask questions all the time:
Who, what, when, where, where, why, and how.
The answers come in various forms,
though they are often not what we want
or expect.
Are the questions
we ask God and ourselves
meant to elicit the answers we want
or the answers we need.
I find myself asking, "What am I doing wrong?"
Doesn't this suggest that I expect
to take the incorrect action?
On the other hand,
if I rephrase the question
it become... [Read more] My Gift To The World February 12, 2019 at 7:45pm My Gift To The World
I give a vision of a new reality,
a new civilization rising
out of the ashes of the old.
I give a vision of humanity,
as a single species
healing from the prejudices of separation.
I give a vision of religion,
as a single book with many chapters,
and multiple revealers.
I give these to the world
without cost;
I give to all
leaving it up to the individual
to either accept or to reject.
I give because it is my duty to share,
and it is the responsibi... [Read more] Zarf: A Metaphor For the Human Body February 12, 2019 at 1:45pm Zarf{footnote:#}https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/zarf :
A Metaphor For the Human Body
Object's construction:
Atoms that love each other.
Object's description:
Shades of four basic colors
Red, yellow, black, whit;
A wide range of heights and weights;
Ornamental appearance.
Purpose of object:
Holder for handleless cup.
Name designations--
Zarf, cup holder container,
Receptacle, utensil.
Contents of object:
cup without handle contains
The essenc... [Read more] Personal Profile February 11, 2019 at 4:50pm Personal Profile
Am I a fault finder?
Blind to the transgressions of others,
The Seeker ascends the mirrored staircase.
Do I work efficiently?
Praising God through daily labor
The Seeker achieves the essence of worship.
Am I indifferent?
Conscious of humanity's needs,
The Seeker overcomes ego's fear.
Do I have an active imagination?
Inspired by the Word of God
The Seeker perceives the substance of existence.
Am I sociable?
In the companionship of the righteous,... [Read more] What's Left February 10, 2019 at 7:19pm What's Left
God's glory remains
reverberating through all religions;
echoing in the verses of every Holy Book;
and reflected from the mirrors
of His attributes.
God's splendor is left!
Rising from the ashes of Armageddon,
it reveals to humanity a new vision of unity
and a new heaven and earth
descending from the clouds of His glory.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}I wrote this in 2005 in response to the prompt "What's Left".
... [Read more] The NIght Sky and The Poet February 9, 2019 at 6:28pm The Night Sky and The Poet
The night sky
speaks to the poet
in verses of light.
The night sky
reminds the poet
of the purpose of life
and the purpose of creation.
The night sky
tells the poet
that love is the reason
the universe and life was created.
The night sky
whispers to the poet
of the love of God for humanity.
The night sky
encourages the poet
to find love because
that is the glue holding
the universe together.
The night sky
speaks to the poet
in verse ... [Read more] |