I’m a Poetry-Writing Bahá’í, Ask Me Why! (part 2)

Top 9 reasons to be happy about being a Baha’i poet.

Reason #2: Poetry Helps Us See The World

If these schools of progress lead to the university of heaven, then branches of knowledge will be developed whereby humanity will look upon the tablet of existence as a scroll endlessly unfolding; and all created things will be seen upon that scroll as letters and words. Then will the different planes of meaning be learned, and then within every atom of the universe will be witnessed the signs of the oneness of God.

(Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 58)

At every moment he beholdeth a wondrous world, a new creation, and goeth from astonishment to astonishment, and is lost in awe at the works of the Lord of Oneness.

(The Seven Valleys, p. 31)

Some time ago, I was tutoring a group in Book 1, which consisted of one new Baha’i and two very deepened and active Baha’is who were just beginning the institute process, but determined to catch up. At one point, we were having a consultation (okay, let’s be honest, it was turning into more of a debate) on whether material things could each show only one of the attributes of God, or if they could each show many attributes, but not all. “Take a tree,” I pointed out, “It has both the qualities of existence and beauty.”

“Sure,” said one of the experienced participants, “but the beauty you’re describing isn’t real. It’s simply symbolic of spiritual beauty, which the tree doesn’t show.” I was floored by this. It just wasn’t a way I was used to viewing beauty.

The next morning, I left my apartment. Sunshine, I thought. Trees. Sky. Sidewalk. Parking lot. I wonder what a parking lot symbolizes in the world of the spirit?

I couldn’t help laughing at the strange metaphors all around me. “I’m walking in a poem!” I said to nobody in particular.

That’s when I realized I’d done this before; it wasn’t in a religious context, but the feeling was the same. This was just how I went about discovering images to develop into poems. The intense focus on physical details, connecting them with an abstract, emotional, or spiritual reality, this was the same. The only difference was that, in poetry, I then spent a great deal of time on developing the exact language needed to communicate my thoughts, whereas in faith, the words were already written, as in the Valley of Wonderment: “Indeed, O Brother, if we ponder each created thing, we shall witness a myriad perfect wisdoms and learn a myriad new and wondrous truths.” There is a reason why “poets” always seem to get mentioned in the Writings alongside “seers” and “mystics.”

In the time since then, I’ve grown to be so grateful for the discipline of observation and connection that I first developed in the context of poetry. It can be so difficult for many people to wrap their heads around the idea of metaphorical reality when the world is so real, so constant, so familiar in its solidity. Sure, I’ve never gotten to the point where I say to myself, “Wow, I’ve got the stomach flu for the second time this month. How spiritual!” but poetry keeps me focused when the material world threatens to overwhelm me. When I look at a tree, I wonder what words, what thoughts, what actions it is meant to inspire in me. The practice of poetry draws the power of wonderment. “O Lord, increase my astonishment at Thee!”

Next week: Poetry helps our communities open their hearts