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Shahriar Shahriari |
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Poems - On Freedom - Group 2
Inner Freedom
A friend was telling me that at some point
He needed desperately to learn something new,
He found a course for this at a night school
But the available spaces were very few;
He asked the school to send him some information
Which they duly did one and a half years later;
When he received the brochures he threw them away,
By then he was working happily as a waiter.Most of our needs in life at some point
Seem to be desperately essential
But if we wait patiently, we will see
The majority are merely inconsequential.© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
June 25, 1997
From childhood indoctrinated by the society
To awaken from my dream, live in sobriety
Learn the common standards, adhere to propriety
Stay away from the unknown, reproach variety
So I strove to live a life of self-righteous piety.Now old and decrepit, I dread
With a heavy heart and a sober head
I number among the living dead;
The Angel of Death I'd gladly wed
Ready for my last nuptial bed.Oh God How much I'd give
To Learn, to Love, to Laugh, to Live.© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
July 12, 1997
Would I walk alone, walk alone
If the whole world against me groan?
Would I walk alone, walk alone
If I were only skin and bone?
Would I march on like Gandhi
If the powers were turned against me?
Would I dream like Dr. King
And let my dream of freedom ring?
Let it give the nation its moral wing
If it only death me bring?
Would I like Christ move ahead
Even to the cross, final bed?
If inspired with a righteous vision
Would I make it into my earthly mission?
And if all the world me abandon
Would I walk alone, walk alone?© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
May 6, 1997To Mahatma Gandhi
In times of old heroes were praised
Into human demigods were raised;
Later with their message amazed,
Multitudes on prophets gazed.Now heroic paradigm breakers
Are but poets, leaders, makers
Of worldly goods, or risk takers
But none in life are frauds, fakers.This is not a heroic descent
From demigods to mere leaders;
It is the paradigmatic ascent
From belly feeders to mind breeders.© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
July 26, 1997
We model our lives after birds of prey
Violently strive, until dead we lay
Nobody dares to question or say
Why not like the trees, or cows eating hay?
Sooner or later will come our last day
And we'll ask ourselves, riding our soul's ray
Was this the price I needed to pay?
Or perhaps there was a better way.© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
September 10 , 1997
In a land where I was a stranger
To protect myself from danger
I trusted in my incredible ability
To hide behind my shield of invisibility;
Perfected the art of not being seen
By enemies behind my screen.
This idea to myself I had sold
Cut myself away from the entire world.
I did not realize how I had sealed
Myself inside my invisible shield
For everyone else it was apparent
My protective wall was transparent.Only when I threw away that shield
From my fears, my psyche was healed.
Facing my fears outside my box
My only defense, what paradox.© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
September 14 , 1997
I ask not to be freed from the prison of my birth,
I ask to have my shell be free to roam the earth;
The bird of my soul inside its cage can't take wing
Yet if amidst trees and flowers, may begin to sing;
My soul that is entrapped in its mortal cage
A player, in costumes of sort, on life's stage.
Though encaged in its costume for a day or three
Can improvise upon the stage of life and roam free.
The point is to sing amidst flowers and trees
To see beyond the cage, not soullessly freeze.
For in the end, every life to death shall lead
The soul from its mortal cage shall be freed.© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
October 19, 1997
I didn’t put on my shirt, must be fate
To move around half-naked, is my state
Perhaps with grace of God, sooner or late
A shirt will be put on me, if only I wait.Perhaps God may even drop it on my lap
But I must pick up the shirt, myself wrap
If I accept my flaws as fate’s map
Irresponsibly fall in karma’s trap.Life’s purpose is my flaws understand
Against my karmic flaws take a stand
Full awareness of myself must demand
With my highest truth my life command.© Shahriar Shahriari
Vancouver, Canada
September 21, 1998
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