Bicentenary Poems and Prose

Meditations on the Titles of 'Abdu'l-Baha

Meditations on
the Titles of 'Abdu'l-Baha

I close my eyes and listen
as his titles--
each with a special meaning--
echo through my mind.

The Servant of Baha

Born Abbas Effendi in 1844,
he chose the title of Servant
for himself.

It was the rank he preferred,
the one he exemplified
in his daily life.

The Center of His Covenant

The Covenant:
God's promise
to never leave His creation
without guidance.

In this age
that guidance comes
through Baha'u'llah,
The Glory of God.

The Covenant is
the magnet
that attracts God's grace
and reveals divine unity.

The power of the Covenant--
its pivot--
is the oneness
of humanity.

'Abdu'l-Baha
is the center of Baha'u'llah's covenant,
which is part
of God's ancient promise
never to leave
humanity without guidance.

The Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity

He was not color blind,
rather he saw
the varied skin tones of humanity
as beautiful.

Referred to those with African skin tones
as black roses
and the pupil of the eye:
the dark chocolates
in the candy box of humankind.

The Stainless Mirror of His Law

He was the polished mirror reflecting--
in its utmost purity--
the light of divine law,
revealed by Baha'u'llah
to humanity.

The Unerring Interpreter of His Word

Deepened in the sacred scriptures,
and assisted by the Holy Spirit
he elucidated
on their
more profound meanings.

The Mystery of God

Not a Divine Manifestation,
he was somewhere between
the Manifestation of Divinity
and an ordinary human being.

Without a trace of ego,
he served the Glory of God
through his service
to humanity.

The Most Great Branch

Eldest son of Baha'u'llah--
the Manifestation of God
for this age--
he was the first family member
to recognize
his father's station.

The Perfect Exemplar

In him
word and deed were one.

He saw none
as lesser than himself.

Treated all equally
respecting their humanity
as creations of
the Unknowable Creator.

The Limb of the Law of God

Obedient to Divine Law,
he lived a life of servitude
to God
and humanity.

His words and actions
reflected
the meaning of obedience
to human kind.

Poet's Note: ▼

This is poem #54 of the 100 I'm writing for the centenary of the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha.