With Heart Burning...

WITH HEART BURNING...

I often ponder
What would I do
Where I to have lived
In a time not long ago
And what would my life
Inward and outwardly show

When the Guardian
Did raise his call
Summoning, one and all
To assist
In the work at hand
From many a land
I would have loved
To have answered that call
To have given him my all
Until from fatigue
I did fall
And yet, ‘twould not be enough

The Master lived
Not long ago
Under His love and patience
The community did grow
And more of humanity
Of His Father did know
Oh what I would give
To at that time
Under His shadow to live
I would do all
To at His feet sit

I would do
Whatever was asked of me
Though at His side
I would want to be
Basking in His love
From above

T’is hard for me to ponder
At the awe and wonder
To have lived
At the time of the Father
And any thought of what
I would do
Gets burned away
For He is the source
Of the message of this day
Bewildered, I would be
His revelation
Would overwhelm me
Obedient, I would hope to be
Though how can I describe
That which others
With difficulty did scribe

And of the Beloved Gate
How can I relate
The love and devotion I feel
I would give all
In answer to His call
Family, wealth, my very life
And would suffer, any strife
Be it assailants roughing,
Gun, sword or knife
Indeed I would have longed
To have given my life

Alas these times
Are all in the past
In histories grasp
Held fast

As I gaze
Within mind’s eye
Hoping to, in reunion die
I reflect on what I know
That truly, They did not go
Through their messages
Continue the way show

In one way
Beyond all others
They established a body
Unlike any other
To help guide us
From this day forth
Service to whom
Shows ones true worth
And mettle
The choice to act
Or in leisure settle

Reflecting on
The times gone by
I ask myself what I’d do, and why
And though in truth
T’is not time to die
I must not, on my couch lie

If I want to
My intentions honor
I must my resources garner
And strive with all I have
To arise to this days call
And giving my all
Push forward until
With nothing left
I do fall
-Shiidon, November 2011

I have not had time to write for several reasons including the school term that most recently started. I have a respite from grading and course work for a few hours and this poem came to me. This poem is purely religious in nature but also is about not living in the past but moving and striving to act in the present for the future.

The Báb (Gate) came to prepare humanity for the coming of the Promised One of all ages, Bahá'u'lláh (the Father). Bahá'u'lláh, in His Will and Testament left His followers with His eldest son, 'Abdu'l-Bahá (the Master) as his successor and the Center of His Covenant. The Master, in His Will and Testament appointed Shoghí Effendí (the Guardian and His eldest grandson) as His successor. Upon the Guardians passing there were no more heirs eligible. As a result the Universal House of Justice was elected to guide the Bahá'í community from this day forward. This body was established by the Founder of the Faith and it's elections and responsibilities were outlined by the Master. The Guardian left the community strong enough to elect and support this body.

What came to me in this poem was not only what I would have done would I have lived in each of their times, but how I would act today in honor of those intentions. In reality, what we choose to do today is a result of what we would have done as they all still guide us through the process they established and left us with.