Flying

Last night at a going away party i was asked to write a poem for the occasion.  i have never written on demand except for school and was not sure if i would be in the right frame of mind. Ben and Susan Hansen have been friends for decades now and their daughter Miranda is about to go on a Baha'i year of service.  She will be going to a school in Central America and teaching and working till next May.  This is something done by many of the youth prior to their starting college.  Aniela put me on the spot last night (thanks Aniela....just kidding), and while everyone was playing Taboo, a board game, i wrote the poem that follows.  

It reminded me to a small degree of a similar situation that happened to my grandfather early in the last century.  He was invited to a meeting which turned out to be a "set up" of sorts.  He was there to present the Baha'i Faith but instead was confronted with a large gathering with the purpose of confronting the Faith.  Iran in those days, as it is now, was a dangerous place to teach the Baha'i Faith.  There was a renouned poet of Kashan who wrote a poem of challenge to the famous Baha'i poet Na'im.  Some half hour of music followed that poem in which my grandfather decided to respond to the poet.  After a half hour of music my grandfather showed the poem to his friend who proceded to read the poem aloud.  The poem was far superior to the one read earlier.  The gathering was stunned that my grandfather was able to respond so effectively in half an hour to a poem that took six months to write.  There is more to this story that would astound you but not relevent to the evening in mind.  i have the story written up in his words if anyone is interested.

i was able to present Miranda with the poem and was so happy to see that both mother and daughter liked it.  Susan asked "what about the father?"  While this poem is directly written for Miranda it is for all parents who say goodbye to their children as they fly off for the first time.  i mention the mother for two reasons, the first being that the mother is the primary care giver in most cases of the child and the image of the baby and mother in the animal world is always prevelant.  The second reason is much simpler; Susan is taking Miranda to her new home for the next 8 months and hence will be the last string cut from from home.

Here is the poem, "Flying"

Way upon the tree so high
The baby bird about to fly
Nurtured by mother so dear
Side by side they walked so near

The unknown calls
The oldest on
The first to fly
Of the little ones

Looking up at mother
In thoughts of wonder
Knowing that, not long ago
She had flown on her own

Surrounded by love
She walked to edge
Knowing that with mothers pledge
Never alone would she be
However far she may be

Stepping off she starts to fall
With winds spread out
Mother’s encouragement calls
She starts to climb and fly so high
The joy the thrill, the fear is lost

One last look at mother so proud
With tears of joy her call is loud
She turns and heads to parts unknown
The knowledge to all
That she is grown

As she flies away now alone
She knows there will
Always be a home
To return to…
shiidon, July 2007