Note: I badgered my son to write a poem for the last of our Ramadan Salons. I told him it needed to be inspired by Attar’s “Conference of the Birds”. Even though he grumbled and said, “Inspiration can’t be on-demand!”, he did write the following poem! Nothing like a deadline to inspire inspiration.
Quest for Guidance
by H. Rehman
Despair, anger and pains
These hardships, battles we fight
As faith and hope wane
still we search for the light.
We seek out leaders and kings
to tell us how to live.
We run in endless loops and rings
to this cycle we are captive.
Our quests are fruitless
Our guide; an illusion.
We stumble blindly in darkness
stranded in a bleak ocean.
But some rise above,
They need not search any longer.
They have no hate,
instead love.
Their hearts are stronger.
They need no king because
they are the king.
They are their own
leader and mentor.
Their own songs they sing
for one’s guide is one’s center.
When you look for direction
Don’t look to others, try
self-reflection.
FireBrush 