He walked the banks of rivers

January 7, 2020

This poem is about the Founder of the Baha’i Faith, titled “Baha’u’llah” which means “Glory of God”, as He was banished for a time, to Baghdad. He wrote words for the world to come together as one, recognizing ourselves as one humanity, under one God, Who has spoken to us through various Messengers over our time on earth. Today is the time we need to learn to live as one people on this planet. He said we can do it easily and peacefully, or it will come after much suffering and devastation. Looks like we have chosen the latter. But our eventual unity is inevitable. It’s the only way we will survive. 

He walked the banks of rivers

writing words for the world,

walked along the Euphrates

and Tigris,

a prisoner of the Ottomans,

banished from His home,

His Words were flowers

to bring peace to all mankind,

For a time, He consorted

with the Sufis and the mystics,

He wrote the Seven Valleys

in Baghdad,

He summoned Kings and Rulers

to reduce their armaments,

to compose their differences,

bring justice to all,

— but the leaders turned away,

we now see the result

of fresh wars being waged

where He stood,

and I cannot help but wonder

if fresh blood is being spilled

on the banks of the rivers

where He strolled,

Oh Baghdad, are you not tired

of the killing on your soil?

Can you not rise up and stop them,

bring peace to the world?

For there is no turning back,

There is no other way

but to love all the world

as one,

We are “fruits of one tree,”

“flowers of one garden,”

We must learn to live

as one family.

cfblack  01-07-2020

what is happening

January 5, 2020

I see young faces

in Army gear

wearing cameflouge, helmets, backpacks, guns,

standing in lines to get on planes,

confused, and wondering why,

and when will we come home again?

and why are we going there?

because of leaders we cannot escape,

whose mouths now drip with blood.

Forgive them, Father, for they know not how

to make a peaceful world,

Instead, they send out younger men

to self-made danger zones.

The world is weary of their ways,

and mothers tired of giving sons

to wars brought on by power-hungry,

anger-laden fools.

Come home, my dears,

refuse to walk this path to living hell,

Come home and build a better world

of mutual respect and goodwill.

cfblack  01-04-2020

 

 

(This needs work.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

stock market gamble

November 17, 2019

It’s a stock market gamble,

Stocks are doing well,

but we know who is winning,

it’s easy to tell,

We can see all the writing

on your glittery wall,

We know who’s benefiting

and who’s gonna fall,

So you keep on campaigning

for your dinosaur friends,

make hateful jokes,

and they lose in the end,

We want clean air and water

and our National parks,

we want schools to be safer,

we choose Light and not dark,

We want every last child

with its mother and father,

we want immigrants welcomed

with kindness and honor,

We want leaders who know

how to find common ground,

how to reach across barriers

to build up, not tear down,

You gambled and lost,

now get out of the way,

We have no more time

for your cruel games today,

You don’t own this country,

You are not my King,

We want the swamp drained,

so Freedom can Ring!

cfblack  11-17-2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 12, 2019

Weeping willow,

falling like a waterfall,

loving arms embracing me,

allows me to peer through to see the world,

but stay inside the canopy.

weeping willow

 

I am going outside

November 11, 2019

I am going outside

before the sun sets

and the last rays of daylight

still light the path,

I am going outside

for a walk in the park

while young boys still play

on the basketball court,

I am seeking the beauty

of a few Fall trees,

of a cooler time before the night falls,

I will walk a mile

and then return

to the light of my home

safe from the world.

cfblack, 11-11-2019

Fall haiku

October 22, 2019

Fall rains, trees dropping
Their cloak of leaves to the ground
Leaving themselves bare.

 

cfblack

Fall night sounds of our neighborhood

October 21, 2019

At night, a train calls,

whistle blows, somewhere far away,

Before that, taps, from the Army base,

signals end of day,

highway noise as background sound

gets louder when it rains,

and insects in October

still chirp the night away.

 

 

 

the flu

October 12, 2019
Uninvited,
this flu came upon me,
the night before Saturday make-up classes,
Who would believe, this virus chose
this particular day
to make me sick?
So you go to class, but only take roll,
then come home to sleep, and rest,
and even now, at 5pm,
you do not wish to eat.
            cfblack  10-12-2019

Here, standing

October 6, 2019

Here, standing,

between Earth and Heaven,

the Darkness envelops your being,

blends worlds unknown above and below,

with flickers of light to guide you.

At once, you know you are never alone,

and there is nothing to fear.

The Universe is a ribbon of light,

and you are a part of it.

Here standing

It is easy to be depressed

September 28, 2019
It is easy to be depressed,
it is harder to do something about
what is causing your depression.
It is easy to do nothing,
it is harder to figure out
what action we could take
to make any difference,
It is easy to withdraw,
it is harder to continue,
day after day, to believe,
and yet, here we are,
on this blue planet,
We still have oceans
and wilderness,
We are one world
We are one people
and everywhere, children,
who want to be free.
I only have one piece of the puzzle,
I believe in you
please believe in me.
                           
            cfblack 09-29-2019