The Dove and The Nightingale

In a dreamless sleep the world reposed

The Dove and The Nightingale

In a dreamless sleep the world reposed
on that portentous night;
no creature stirred save a snow white bird
mounting in silent flight.

Over high mounts a bright star rose
turning night into day;
waking the Children of God from
the beds in which they lay.,

Raising its voice in praise of God
the white bird greeted the light'
rousing from slumbers of heedlessness
denizens of the night.

Arming hate's bow with the arrows of fear
aimed at the bird of white;
they sealed in blood its prophesied fate
plunging the world into night.

The weeping years marched slowly by
as darker grew the night;
while all the songs God's Children sing
Were in memory of the light.

Above the mountains of men's fears
rose two bright blinding stars;
shedding upon the darkness of hate
unity's purifying fires.

Through the sacred God of God
from the Garden of Paradise,
Returned the spirit of the snow white bird
in the Nightingale of Paradise.

Poet's Note: ▶︎

Line Count: 28
Form: Quatrain rhyming abcb
Symbols Explained: Snow white bird or dove refers to Christ. The Gate of God refers to the Bab. The Garden of Paradise refers to the Garden of Ridvan where Baha'u'llah declared his divinely appointed mission. the Nightingale refers to Baha'u'llah.
Submitted to "Senior Center Forum" .