Tag Archive | home

Women of our times

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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

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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

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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

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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

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October 14th, 2108

The collage

 

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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

 

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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

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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!