Archives

Broken mirrors

Jan8

 

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Broken mirrors
Broken dreams
What was once beautiful
And reflected light
Now, lies shattered on the ground

Did the person who break the mirrors
Not appreciate the artistry and hard work of the person
Who put them up?
Why did he find pleasure in destroying
What someone had built with care and love?

The shards of glass litter the ground
They can now cut with their jagged edges
And draw blood

Before, they reflected beauty and light
Now, they represent destruction and anger
And can do harm

This site of beauty destroyed
Holds the gaze of one who passes by
What happened here and why?

Amid this destruction
There are elements that survived
There are structures that stand tall
To testify to resilience
To defiance
To strength
To hope
And there are small pieces of mirror left
That continue to reflect the beauty that surrounds them

Nevertheless, seeing the shattered glass
Saddens the heart and
Makes one wonder
What part of human psyche
Craves this kind of destruction

 

May 22nd, 2016

A year in review

Dec31

white flower

A year in review
Of joy and of sorrow
Of cheerful meetings and sad partings
Of laughter and tears
Of excitement and fears

It’s been an eventful year again
Bonds of friendship have been strengthened
And because good friends mean so much to me
It has been an amazing and enriching year

December 31st 2017

Simply grateful

Dec18

white flower

When joy gives me wings to fly
When a kind voice warms my heart
When everything seems right with the world
When I feel blessed despite the trials
I feel grateful
Simply grateful

When a good friend reaches out to me
When what I write brings someone cheer
When people come together in a common cause
When the doors open on every side
I feel grateful
Simply grateful

When it seems my prayers have been heard
When I feel healthy and content
When I can write and contemplate
I feel grateful
Simply grateful

And that’s how I feel as I write these lines
With a heart full of joy and a big bright smile
I’m feeling grateful
Simply grateful

December 17th, 2017

Desolate

Dec12

IMG_7448.JPGAlone and lonely
In this icy landscape
Deep in thought
Contemplating the coming of winter
Wondering where my friends went

Only a few weeks ago
We were flying in the blue sky
Singing our songs
Without a care
And now
My surroundings feels like an icy grave
Where did my friends go?

Without them my world is so gray
Joy has disappeared
And the howling of the wind
Like sad music
Reminds me of other desolate times
Where did my friends go?

 

December 11th, 2017

Fortress

Nov24

Hold me tight
Protect me from all that’s around
Be my shield in the time of trials
Enhance my beauty
Strengthen me
So I can withstand the winds of time
Together we’ll be more fortified
Together we’ll represent unity
And solidarity
Till the end of time

November 24th, 2017

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Autumn leaves

Nov14

The colorful leaves of fall nestle against the grey stones for shelter
For warmth

They huddle and
Keep each other warm
Chit chatting among themselves
About their transition
The changes to come
showing off their beautiful costumes while they still can

November 14th 2017

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At the ball

Nov4

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Clad in their golden-orange gowns
They are at a most beautiful ball
Music playing
A gentle breeze moving their
Shimmering attire
And creating rustling sounds

They know the ball will end soon
And they will have to wait another year
Before they call return to this festivity
So they savour these last moments of bliss
As they sway to the mesmerising music

Nov. 4th, 2017

Illusion

Jul31

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Sometimes, life seems unfair
Those who are honest
Don’t succeed
Those who lie brazenly
Get away with it

But do we ever consider the soul
Of the one who lies, cheats and climbs
Do we ever think of how they
Will be remembered
When they die?

Can they bring their power
And fortune with them?
I wonder if they’ve heard of Karma

The repercussions of our actions
Will be felt when we journey on
This world is an illusion
Reality awaits us

 

July 27, 2015

Sweets from Yazd

Jul27

imageThere is something about the familiar
Which is very comforting
No introduction necessary
Old feelings come to fore:
A box of Persian sweets from Iran
Brought by my cousin
Sent by my aunt
Takes me back to my visit to Yazd

I pick up the Sohané Ardi
And gently take a first bite
As it melts in my mouth
My senses take me years back
When one spring
My father, mother, brother and I
Drove to that part of Iran

My first memory is of gazing at the sky
Dotted thickly with luminous stars
So many stars that the sky seemed white

The endless dessert around us
Dust on the road
Dust in the car

The wide streets of Yazd
The numerous bakeries in town
Seeing pashmak* being made
Smelling the sweets all around

I take a second bite of Sohan
A feast for my taste buds

Now comes the memory of Naw Ruz
When we used to live in Iran
Where our Haft Seen table was prepared with love

The family visits
The sweets we ate
The shirini** my mom baked
The love we shared

And now…
The Haji Badoom, Baklava
Nane Berenjy and Sohan
Cause these memories to flood my mind!

Lida Berghuis
April 4th, 2010

Written after receiving sweets from dear aunt Badri

*pashmak is a Persian sweet resembling
cotton candy

**shirini is sweets in Persian

Feelings

Jul21

Sometimes you just have to sit with the feelings you feel

They can’t be explained or reasoned out

They can’t be banished from your mind

They can’t be ignored

The only thing you can do is accept them

You have to walk through them, not around them

July 17, 2017