Second Sight

SECOND SIGHT

As I close my eyes at night

Another world comes to sight

T’is my world of dreams

Come to light

My dreams very

One to another

Some I remember

Some, don’t bother

From time to time I see

A dream to this world

Comes to be

Before my eyes

I see unfold

Past dreams,

Till now untold

These dreams are not

What bother me

T’is these, like tests

That come to me

A challenge comes

In my sleep

A moral quandary

I tightly keep

Will I pass, or will I fail

Each challenge

A different tale

I wake up with a start

Feeling the beating

Of my heart

If I chose, the path that’s right

That day grows ever more bright

Or when I awaken

At first sight

Everything seems alright

But if I chose to take a fall

My conscience doth my attention call

And the test that hit me

In the night

Lay before my sight

Over and again I play it out

Sometimes wanting to shout

How could I choose a course so wrong

When in my heart I know

Where I belong

To have chosen different

Is what I long

The hope that comes over me

Is that I truly know how to be

And look again to another dream

And this time may it come to pass

That the lessons learned hold fast

And build upon my soul

more prepared to that heavenly goal

-Shiidon, Rahmat 166 BE, June 2009

Regarding dreams Bahá'u'lláh states:

God, the Exalted, hath placed these signs in men, to the end that philosophers may not deny the mysteries of the life beyond nor belittle that which hath been promised them.

(Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 33)

There are comments in His writings regarding dreams. In particular He writes about what we call dejavu and how we dream something that ten years later comes to pass. What I wanted to write about is another kind of dream. In a conversation with my mother about dreams we spoke about dreams that put us in positions to make choices. Many a time I have awakened and thanked God that it "was only a dream." As I have grown older, and after speaking with my mother, I have come to realize that these dreams can also be looked upon as tests for our souls. I am not saying that God is testing us and seeing if we pass. What I think is that this is another way for us to be guided in this life without making the wrong choices. Another way to look at it is the flight simulator for the pilot. They are not flying but are put into situations to test their abilities and resolve. This is more along the lines of how I see these dreams.

Today I concluded the second of two sessions at the youth intensive nearby. I was asked to teach poetry to whomever was interested. There were about nine of us in the class and by the second session today there were poems being shared by the participants that were writtin since yesterday. I was amazed at the depth and ability that they manifested in their writing. It was impressive. It was nothing I did, I just gave them each a notebook and pen and said, "write." Of cousre we spoke of the mechanics, the inspiration, the purpose and method as well. One thing I emphasized is not to pervert ones talent but to use it to elevate the heart and soul of the reader. I look forward to reading their poems.

World Family

WORLD FAMILY

The blood of injustice flows in the Street

Many a heart, hath stopped to beat

Man’s inhumanity to man

Surrounding, replete

Hunger, strife, suffering and hatred

Surround us all, unabated

Lashing out we strike one another

Regardless of the fact

We are all brothers

T’is easy to regard each case

Without looking at from where it doth trace

For stirred up we are wan’t to destroy

Regardless of Man, woman, girl or boy

We focus here or there each time

And then move on to another place

Yet another injustice do we face

And yet the source we still

Do not face

As case by case the problems grow

We must not flitter and let go

Our solidarity with each other must show

We are all one family

This fact we must know

What doth heavy on our heart doth weigh

T’s death throws of the old

In decay

And before us the dawning

Of a new day

What can be done in response

Is to remove from us our nonchalance

And to address each others wants

T’is a world in need

Amongst tyranny and greed

We must eliminate these troubles

With all speed

There are no sides in reality

That is not the way

We are meant to be

Everyone suffers together

Both you and me

The solution:

World unity

Living together

As one family

-Shiidon, Nur 166BE, June 2009

Heavy on my heart I look at the suffering in the land of my mother, Iran. I see the death and suffering, the troubles, the strife, the inhumanity of one brother against another. What also is on my mind are the countless other troubles surrounding us. There is trouble in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, South America, North America in your city, my city, it surrounds us. Yet we seem to focus our attention on one thing at a time. I would love to go to each place and hold the hands of each person on either side of any conflict and ask them to see in each others eyes and hearts the kinship they share with each other and me. Where do I go? We are all in this together. I see it in the eyes of a business man who asks me what is happening in Iran. He has no connection with that country in any way yet his eyes are tearing up as he asks me. This is the effect we have on each other. My solution is to make a difference where I am. I have mentioned this over and over in these posts, yet it is the only answer I have. It is to make a difference in my neighborhood. That then effects the community, the city, the state/province, the nation and in the end the World. We must pray for our human family all over the world, we must strive with all we have to spread the message of unity. We must remember that there are many sides to conflict and that all people suffer, those on both sides of a conflict and the rest of us.

I have travelled the world my whole life and one thing I can say for sure in my experience is that we are all much more similar than different. We can focus on the ridiculous differences that include the culture and habits that stem from where we are from or focus instead on the loves, wants, needs and desires we all have and share in common. I am American. I am Persian. These are the accidents or bounties of my birth. However, I am also Asian, African....I am human. We are truly all one family and one people.

I pray for all those suffering currently in Iran, but also for those suffering all over our planet in hopes that the message of unity spreads fast and deep within all of our hearts. In my own way I will do my part.

Dreams

DREAMS

When I close my eyes to sleep

My soul wanders, your heart it seeks

Day is night and night is day

On and on it goes this way

Will it change, no one can say

As my eyes open for the day

Yours close on another day

Where does your soul go

What does it seek

I may never know

Is that you beside me as I pray

Or is it my daydreams having their way

Is that you I have found in my dream

A kernel of hope did I glean

What I know is this

When we talk I find peace

My troubles and concerns

All but cease

On life I find, a new lease

Is this how it is meant to be

When I find you and you find me

A taste of heaven is what I found

Never before on this sacred ground

I know not what the future brings

For now I find my heart doth sing

So close your eyes and sleep

Day or night my soul will seek

Your soul in that world

without tether

Where unfettered we fly together

-Shiidon, May 2008

This is a poem I wrote some time ago. My cousin asked me if I was able to branch out to other types of poems. I thought for the sake of his question to post this one that I wrote over a year ago. It was inspired by several sources. I remember my colleague Amanda living in China and teaching English and being separated form her boyfriend for over a year. Or the fact that I was away from my kids. I remember Shahdi trying to convince me it was night time in the US when it was really daylight and night for me. It is about absence and reunion in a different plain of existence. I hope you enjoyed it. It is in someways different than what I normally write.

Running Ahead

RUNNING AHEAD

I stand and watch

As they run ahead

Deep in my heart

I feel dread

 

T’was not long ago

When they followed behind

Listening to my directions

To me they would mind

But now their own way

Determined to find

 

Trip and fall they must

As a parent I stand back and trust

Into what kind of world

Did it them thrust?

 

I am reminded that

Not long ago

It was I that ran ahead

And my own way did go

 

As they run far ahead

I slow down my pace

And realize that

Myself I must face

 

A new chapter has come

The way ahead unknown

I see how much, over time

I have grown

At my loss this time

I clearly bemoan

 

I am told by the wise

This is a part of life

Another source of joy and strife

Teeming, surrounding and rife

 

And now I must forge on

These worries I insist be gone

Towards the end of my journey

To which I long

With anticipation a reunion

Where I belong

 

But I have yet a path to tread

How long and to where

Unknown, instead

Step by step I forge ahead

 

A peace comes over me

As ahead I see

The growth of my progeny

Rushing towards their destiny

 

I am ready for this last stage

Another chapter

Another page

 

A renewal of heart and soul

A reassessing of old and new goals

My children and I

Assuming new rolls

 

I know whether here or above

They will always know

A fathers love

-Shiidon, Nur 166BE, June 2009

Today I walked down to the creek.  I walked more cautiously as some unknown creature the other day ran past me and into the water.  Today it was not on the ground.  As i was focused on my feet a huge noise came crashing down on my.  I looked up to see a large buck (deer) running on the other side of the creek away from me.  I went to the waters edge, carefully immersed my hands in the water, wiped my face and then offered a prayer.  It may sound a bit much to you the reader but it is so peaceful that I feel compelled to do so.  I then sat down on the rock and meditated.  I saw a butterfly flying up stream, heard doves cooing, water running, leaves rustling, dogs barking in the distance and my soul filling up with new energy and focus.  This poem has been rustling around in my head.  I came back inside, made some tea and then proceeded to write.

On another note, I saw a very inspiring movie last night, Man on Wire.  It is about the Frenchman who crossed back and forth between the twin towers without any safety precautions. It was  a lifelong goal that he had and attained.  It was beautiful and inspiring.  I spent some time reflecting though on the cost that he paid for attaining his goal.  In attaining his goal there was not another feat that could top that one and he was left with that one great moment.  In the process he lost all of those he had held dear to him during his long and arduous journey towards that moment of amazing accomplishment.

It is this sense of loss that helped spear on my poem.  My children moving on and ahead in life, no longer so dependent or even wanting their fathers advise and direction.  I do not feel spurned but encouraged that this, a normal phase in life, has found my children.

Cycles of Strife

CYCLES of STRIFE

We toil so hard

On this earthly plain

Trials and tests

Upon us doth rain

Bringing with it

Untold pain

 

at times I sink

to a deep dark place

not wanting,

 myself to face

wishing in some way

to leave not a trace

 

Unworthy am i

Wanting to die

Giving up

In a deep sigh

Asking why

 

As each test

Comes to an end

a moment is given

for our spirit to mend

 

we learn and grow

as through life

we go

our developing character

doth show

with each lesson

the more we know

leaving our soul aglow

reaching a new plateau

with lighter heart

towards our next test

we doth go

-Shiidon, Nur 166BE, June 2009

Tests and difficulties come and go in our lives.  Today I had a customer who was wearing an Airborne hat.  I mentioned that my father was in the Airborne and had a medical discharge.  He said he did to.  He said he was injured in battle.  I asked where.  He said Mosul.  I have known of Mosul most of my life as it has a place in Bahá'í history.  Another inspiration for this poem is the emptiness of my son Winrik's place.  I walk by his room, now empty, and find an empty place in my heart as well.  He usually would stay up all night and would go to bed just after waking me up for work.  I think of the tests that some of my friends are going through and yet through all of this there is growth.  Just as the pain in birth is the sign of a new life and the joys to come, so to does the pain of the tests we go through bring about the joys in our lives as well.  It is said that is it through tests we grow, I say bring them on.  I find myself on the cusp of a new life.  I am not sure what will be in store for me in the next few months and years but it is certain that during that time will be both joy and tears (OK, rhyming again:)   I stand with my face into the wind and feel ready for whatever is to come.