Writing in Snow

Midweek Reflections on Prayer Pluse Two Poems

‘Idál (Justice), 17 Jalál (Glory) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, April 25, 2018

"O my God! O my God! Unite the hearts of Thy servants, and reveal to them Thy great purpose. May they follow Thy commandments and abide in Thy law. Help them, O God, in their endeavor, and grant them strength to serve Thee. O God! Leave them not to themselves, but guide their steps by the light of Thy knowledge, and cheer their hearts by Thy love. Verily, Thou art their Helper and their Lord."

Bahá’u’lláh1

Every day I post the links to either one or two blog entries on Facebook. This morning I posted a link to "Midweek Reflections on Music"  in "Melting Snow"  and today's entry in "Poet999 - A Butterfly Emerges From Her Cocoon"2. While I was on Facebook, there was an add for a 21-Day prayer course. I clicked the ad to find out about it, and discovered that there were three types of prayer courses which cost from $10 to $20 or $30. I decided not to take any of the courses because I already have access to prayers revealed by The Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha. The Baha'i prayers cover every contingency.

The prayers revealed by the Central Figures of the Baha'i Faith show me how to pray. I say my prayers at least three times a day, sometimes more because I have memorized several prayer for assistance with tests, healing, and gratitude. When I want to say prayers I have not, yet, memorized I can either access them through an app on my smartphone, find them in my prayer book, or go on line.

Companion Poems3

Reading the Word of God in Bed

My mind
hungry for reality
consumes the sacred words

My eyelids
heavy with meditation
fight to remain open

My mind
thirsty for the water of life
drinks long and deep

My eyelids
surrender to sleep

Reading Poetry in Bed

My mind
sated with verse
falls into a contemplative stupor

My eyelids closes
pupils focus on the interplay
of light and shadow

Words unassociated
with the odes I just read
jolt my mind awake

My eyelids open
pupils focus on the interplay
of meter and rhyme

Footnotes
1  http://www.bahaiprayers.org/unity1.htm
2  https://poet999.blogspot.com/
3  Posted on Poet 999 - A Butterfly Emerges from Her Cocoon.