I Blog Poetry and Prose

World Poetry Day 2020

Jalál (Glory), 2 Bahá (Splendor) 177 B.E. Saturday, March 21, 2020

"Meditate on what the poet hath written: “Wonder not, if my Best-Beloved be closer to me than mine own self; wonder at this, that I, despite such nearness, should still be so far from Him.”… Considering what God hath revealed, that “We are closer to man than his life-vein,” the poet hath, in allusion to this verse, stated that, though the revelation of my Best-Beloved hath so permeated my being that He is closer to me than my life-vein, yet, notwithstanding my certitude of its reality and my recognition of my station, I am still so far removed from Him. By this he meaneth that his heart, which is the seat of the All-Merciful and the throne wherein abideth the splendor of His revelation, is forgetful of its Creator, hath strayed from His path, hath shut out itself from His glory, and is stained with the defilement of earthly desires."

Bahá’u’lláh1

I read the verses of God--
poetry of the Holy Spirit--
scriptures revealed
to the Divine Manifestations,
and weep
because of my attachment
to earthly desires.

Poetry Unites

Poetry unites the world because there are poets in every nation writing poems of awareness. Writing poems that point out the differences between the way the world should be and the way it is. Writing poems of revolution and revelation.

Poetry unites religions because every Divine Manifestation revealed the poetry of the Holy Spirit. The poetry of the Holy Spirit flows through the Holy Books of all religions, encouraging faith and transformation. Encouraging the faithful to strive for the good and express their love for the Unknowable Creator through the verse of their own poems.

Footnotes
1  Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, XCIII; https://www.bahai.org/r/042543309