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: ▼ |
Divine Plan January 8, 2021 at 6:26pm Divine Plan
Atoms of novas disperse
across the interstellar medium
merge with clouds of gas and dust.
Nebula--
in which stars condense and planets grow--
gave birth to systems
prepared to nurture sentient life:
bodies that house nascent souls.
What creatures are these
that risen from the primal ooze
stand awestruck at the sight
of multicolored twinkling lights
spread across the firmament?
Neither gods nor beast,
but having attributes of both
at death their bodies will r... [Read more] The Dance and The Dancer January 7, 2021 at 8:50pm The poem is the dance!
Its metered lines mimic
the rhythmic sway of bodies
answering the drums eternal beat.
The poet is the dancer!
The naked-breasted Isadora,
the leaping shaman circling the fire,
the whirling dervish praising Allah.
The poem is the dance!
Its choreographed stanzas emulate
the longing of voiceless angels
to intone their praise of God.
The poet is the dancer!
Defiant, proud, idyllic metaphor,
repudiating parochial view of God,
and expanding humanity's a... [Read more] One Religion January 6, 2021 at 8:33pm There is one religion in heaven,
It is God's ancient faith,
That was brought to us by His messengers,
Who still speak to us today.
They all set together paradise,
At the round table of unity,
Where the prayer they say is the same one,
For their believers here on Earth.
They weep for humanity,
That segregates the faith of God,
Into sects and religions,
Into believer and infidel.
There is one religion in heaven,
It is God's ancient faith,
That was brought to us by His m... [Read more] 19 More Epiphanies January 16, 2021 at 4:55pm 1
The Interconnection of Life
Smoke from the San Diego forest fires
hide the Muddy Mountains
and irritate Las Vegas throats,
as flames burn
the lungs of Earth.
2
In the pursuit of Self-Knowledge
To achieve my personal view of reality,
I walk barefoot
across the silvers of my idle fancies,
dive naked
into the acid of my fears,
and amputate the limbs
of my vain imaginings.
3
The Scent of Smoke
Permeating the air,
the scent of smoke penetrates
both clothes and h... [Read more] The Fault-line December 31, 2020 at 6:03pm Across nine hundred thousand miles of unexplored territory,
fault-lines converge
on a single point in the known universe.
Quakes,
increasing in intensity
and proximity,
flow across the landscape.
My world view collapses
into a pile of useless rubble,
while the past is consumed
in a conflagration of terror.
Continental plates pull apart--
leave behind a rift valley--
separating yesterday from tomorrow.
I prowl
the bottom of a deep gorge
looking for a path
to salvation.
... [Read more] 19 Epiphanies January 18, 2021 at 10:28pm 1
At Noon
The darkness
of my shadow reveals
the brightness of my light.
2
Humanity's Potential
The depth of our darkness
the blackness of our shadows
Reveals the brightness of our light.
3
Undocumented Data
Future sentiments
Sometimes fluctuating attitudes
Develop Complaints
4
True Religion
True religion is joy,
living each day in God's love,
and praising the Lord with your life.
5
The Armor of God
Prayer by prayer
I put on the armor of... [Read more] The Nineteen Day Fast March 19, 2020 at 7:29pm On the First Day of Fast
Age and medication
prevent fasting from food and drink,
not meditation and prayer.
On the Second Day of Fast
I read a prayer
revealed for the nineteen-day Fast,
and contemplate letting go.
In its essence fasting
is letting go of the desires of the flesh--
such as food and drink--
and holding onto spiritual qualities--
such as faith in God
and forgiveness.
At 73
I am learning to let go
of the prejudices
and fears
that come between me
and t... [Read more] World of the Spirit July 15, 2019 at 9:09pm World of the Sprit
"in the world of the spirit one does not lose what he has gained."
d.a.levy
lose is for the material world
death and taxes
flowers wilt in their vase
death's cold kiss on a tear streaked face
this is matter not spirit
spirit ascends
always rising
spirit isn't in the body
this body is the umbilical cord connecting spirit and matter
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}I wrote this in Rahmat 159 B.E.
... [Read more] Our Own July 6, 2019 at 5:09pm Our Own
"And they don't speak English. We should take care of our own right here!"
Remark Overheard in a Restaurant
Below all of our diversities:
across the patriotism of nations,
beyond the loyalty of religions,
outside the divergence of languages,
beneath the passions of gender,
and inside the variations of skin tone
on the core of our genome
is the double helix
of our unity.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}I wrote this in 159 B.E. (August 2002 A.D.). The... [Read more] Chemical Reaction July 4, 2019 at 4:18pm Chemical Reaction
"but if you really want
a revolution
learn how to change
your internal chemistry
then go beyond that"
d.a. levy
spirit reacts
to word and action
to choices made
to choices reevaluated
to fault placed
to fault accepted
all ineluctable
soul responds
in word and deed
to choices made
to choices reevaluated
to fault places
to fault accepted
all unavoidable
vices are overcome
spiritual attributes practiced
virtues acquired
{dropnote:... [Read more] 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] |