Tag Archive | home
Women of our times
We read a poem written centuries ago
When the place of women was at home
When they had to do the bidding of men
When they did not receive much education
They did the domestic tasks and raised children
A noble thing to do
But in society they were not seen
And jobs outside the house for them was out of reach
Men ruled, made laws and conducted business
They even had time to write poetry
Women had to be pretty, pleasant and obedient
That was their role in society
Those days are behind us
Can’t go back there
Times have changed
Women’s expectations have changed
Educated women do what men do
To their homes they are not confined anymore
Do we have equality?
Not exactly
But we are on our way
Change happens slowly
July 29th, 2020
Yellow window panes
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
O Canada
O Canada
My home after my homeland
O Canada
Where I spread my wings
O Canada
Our refuge during frightening times
O Canada
Freedom, your gift to us
When people ask me where I’m from
I always say Iran
That bond is secure
And will be for the years to come
But you became a safe haven for us
A place where we could live and thrive
O Canada
You are not perfect
No country is
You mistreated the natives of this land
You are warm hearted and welcoming
But issues of race and justice remain
O Canada
You need time to grow and become more mature
You’ll need all your inhabitants for this growth
O Canada
A beacon of hope in this world of ours
O Canada
Where many nationalities reside side by side
July 1st, 2020
Storms
One storm is over
Another one is on the horizon
It’s not clear how bad this storm will be
Early indications say
That it won’t be severe
But forecasting these things is not easy
And if it wasn’t this storm
There would be another one
Life is like this
So, we need to build our homes well
So they can protect us
Faith, good friends, patience and perseverance
Optimism and hopefulness
Are good building material
October 9th, 2019
Home
A trip away from home gave me a new perspective
A trip to the other side of the world brought me closer to my home
We take so much for granted and I’m no exception
It’s hard to know what you have till it’s gone
Montreal may have long brutal winters
Lots of potholes and unending construction
But it’s the city of culture
In Montreal, all races and nationalities live side by side
Our lives are made richer this way
There is much variety and
We’re exposed to different perspectives and ideas
Montreal is a city of art, music, theatre and sports
It’s the city of writers and poets
It’s a place one can be inspired and thrive
It took me going to a land far off
To appreciate what I have at home
To appreciate friendships I’ve made over the years
Having lived in Montreal for seventeen years
This is the place I call home now
October 14th, 2108
The collage
A second book
Another essay on life
My life
With its challenges and trials
With lessons learned
With hope and optimism
Written with love
The collage of me
Is a collage of prose and poetry
The coming together of various experiences
And exploration of various cultures
Of Travel
Of connections
Of fellowship and camaraderie
It tries to answer the questions
Who am I?
And where do I belong?
It explores issues of identity and immigration
And the coming together of East and West
And the essential oneness of man
Dancing street
Dancing street is
Where I lived at in Shiraz
It was actually called
Ghasr’u’dast
The palace in the meadow
But we called it Raghs’u’dasht
The dancing street
As a tribute to the multitude
Of potholes that made us dance
It was a long narrow street
That led out of Shiraz
To the tiny town called Ghasr’u’dasht
There, at the end of a
Dead-end street
Called Zargary, the Goldsmith
My father built a house
Which seemed like a palace to me
It had many rooms
And a huge back yard
A large garage
And a multi-coloured gate
At the front
We had many dinner parties
And house-guests
My mother made meals fit
For a king
And we entertained a lot
We had guests from Tehran
The US and Africa
Some were relatives
Some were friends
And some were Baha’is from abroad
I remember walking and singing
In the grassy area of the back yard
And playing with the weeping willows
As I sang songs
This was my childhood home
Until we left Iran
It was off the dancing street
Outside Shiraz
Guests
Guests
Guests from Shiraz
Guests from other cities in Iran
Guests from other cities of the world
Friends
Relatives
Friends of friends
Guests
What I remember of my childhood home
The well used large dining table
The big back yard
With the weeping willows
Where I roamed and daydreamed
Dancing with the willow trees
Guests for dinner
Guests who stayed
Bringing pieces of the world with them
Entertaining guests
Is what defined our home
January 10th, 2018
Travelling
Travelling and learning
Getting to know new people
My favorite thing
Seeing new places is also good
But I’m a tourist of people
Different personalities fascinate me
I learn from talking and listening
The physical place is not as important
It’s the people that count for me
Connection matters to me
Friendship is important to me
It’s the trip of the soul that counts
The body just comes along
The physical landscape is interesting too
But if I go somewhere and don’t get to
Know a new soul
I may have as well stayed home!