It’s like a spring
What bubbles up are beautiful thoughts
And beautiful words
Each day there is something new
A poem
A photograph
A painting
A story
And the spring keeps bubbling up
The source, deep within the earth of our hearts
It’s like a spring
It waters the meadows that lie like a green carpet around us and under our feet
And hope is also a spring
The why and how not clear
But it exists in the hearts of those who see
September 8th, 2020
Where have the notes gone?
Why this deafening silence?
They were there until a while ago
And now they’ve fallen on the ground like fall leaves
Where have the notes gone?
We should be cheerful and happy
But there is no music to be heard
The page is bare and our hearts feel empty
Where have the notes gone?
I can still hear the melody in my head
It coloured my days
But now the days are dreary
Let’s gather up the notes
And arrange them on the page
Let’s be agents of change
No waiting for others
Let’s be dreamers and builders
Architects of the future
It’s up to us to change things
And fill the world with music again
September 4th, 2020
Why do I spend so much of my time
With my friends around the world
On our WhatsApp group or on Zoom?
Why do I try to read every post?
Why have I done that for the past five years without fail?
OK, during two trips I was delinquent
There is a bond that connects us that goes far back in time
New bonds have been created in recent years
The space in which we meet is a positive one
With words of wisdom
With poetry and song
With artistic photographs
With chit chat of good friends
With laughter and joy
Why would I not want to go back?
In this world full of challenges
We need these kind of spaces
Safe spaces
Kind spaces
Happy spaces
Where we can express ourselves
Widen our horizons
Learn new things
Or simply be with our friends
So much love and effort
Has been put in this space over the years
It’s like a building that has been built
A fortress
A fortress to keep us safe during difficult times
This fortress is made of love
August 9th, 2020
ps: This group of friends is made of over one hundred classmates who went to high school together is the late 1970’s in Iran. Now, we live all over the world, spending time together in the virtual world, as well as coming together in person.
The yellow window panes frame a picture
That reminds us of the grandeur of nature
The yellow window panes are the perfect frame
For the shades of yellow and orange in the sunset
We are moved by the harmony and beauty of what we see
The rich colours of the sunset above
The lush green landscape below
Separated by quiet and imposing mountains far off in the distance
Remind us of the beauty of what’s around us if we look out the right window
If we look out a window that shows the splendour of nature
And the colours and patterns that mesmerize us
Our heart is gladdened and we feel hopeful
If we look out a window that faces a wall
Obstacles are what we see
So let our mind’s eye turn toward that which is hopeful and inspiring
Of the many windows in our home, let’s spend some time
Looking at what cheers and encourages us
And helps us see what is possible
July 28th, 2020
photo credit: Yasaman Jahanshahi
It’s a golden sunset
The sky is bathed in gold
The water is a shimmering gold
The clouds are ribbons of gold
Is this our earth?
Or another planet?
In this golden sunset there is serenity and beauty
There is a sense that all is well with the world
How can this beautiful place be riddled with anxiety and disease?
How can in this world, man not love his fellow man?
How can in this atmosphere, the environment be under assault?
In this magical place, peace doesn’t seem so far out of reach
In this golden sunset all is well
All is right
The way it should be
July 20th, 2020
The sky is grey
A low cloud cover makes one feel short of breath
The mood is somber and heavy
The time is in the past
When a tornado swept the land
And things were blown away and looted afterwards
When some men lost their place in society
And had to start all over again
A little dizzy from the fast pace of change and destruction
When the lives of youths were left in limbo
Making them wonder what to do
When boys became soldiers
And lives were lost in battle
When one’s political leaning
Could end one up in jail or worse
I wasn’t there during those times
But I’ve heard the stories now
And I wonder how I would have fared
Many of my friends stayed
And lived through the aftermath of the tsunami
There were injustices they witnessed
Some things seemed arbitrary at times
Those days were dark
Now, the sky is still grey
Sometime it’s hard to breathe
Sometimes it rains or it hails
Sometimes winds are strong and savage
And I wonder when there will be a little respite
July 10th, 2020
A poem about the 1979 revolution in Iran
Summer evenings
Sitting outside
Bug bites
The hum of the air conditioner
The swishing of the sprinkler
The green grass
Sitting in the gazebo
My feet up on the table
Trying to soak in the moment
We are always doing
Rushing from one activity to another
It’s good to sit quietly sometimes
And contemplate
Or write
These days won’t last
Before we know it, it will be fall
Let’s live intentionally
Slow down sometimes
And give thanks
July 5th, 2020
I open the window one early morning
The silence of the home is broken by bird song
It’s a symphony
It feels urgent
This beautiful orchestra
The birds give the news of the break of dawn
They remind me of the beauty of the creation of God
Nature has a way of waking up one’s soul
Nature, calming and inspiring at once
June 28th, 2020
Every morning they are present
Choosing and sharing poetry with us
Poetry written by the old masters
Poetry to delight the heart
And then add to this poetry the
Amazing art of hieroglyph
They do it so well that it seems easy
But this is not a job for the faint of heart
And there is the back and forth
The teasing and the jabbing
The humour and the laughter
And as if that’s not enough
Poems are written on the spot
Following the rhyming scheme of the ones being shared
Then someone else joins in
And the number of poets increases
The result is wonderful poetry
Demonstration of wit and talent and knowledge
And conversations that are quite funny
The morning poetry team
Has evolved over the years
The task has become more complex and demanding
And yet, our friends rise to the occasion everyday
This amazing effort
Requires love and commitment
One that brings us joy and delight and laughter
One we should not take for granted
June 17th, 2020
Layers of deep purple, soft light blue and dreamy orange paint the sky this evening
In the forefront, two trees have reached out to each other, their branches entangled in a warm embrace
This beautiful scene makes me think that we all need this kind of connection
It looks right
It feels right
It depicts love
And I smile as I keep staring at this beautiful sight
June 17th, 2020
photo by Hoveida Saberi
lida's musings 