Through the bars He saw the sea
Perhaps it spoke of distant lands
Of home, of wealth and comfort
Remembering when He was free.
Yet with the eyes of God, His own
He contemplated majesty
Emblem of His might and grandeur
Each wave spoke of Him alone.
Recalling mountains that He knew
Sar-Galú and Damavand
Reflections of omnipotence
Assuring triumph would ensue.
Yet what He truly longed to see
Beyond the bleak and barren walls
Not magnificence or splendor
Just a spot of greenery.
An evidence that life goes on
Mercifully will bloom
The promise of renewal
Defying harshest desert sun.
Assurance of prolific sands
Of gardens round the holy shrines
Covering the mountainside
Temples decked in every land.
But something else He longed to see
Among the faithful and the firm
His loyal company distinguished
With these favored qualities:
Boldness and a zest for living
No diffidence or holding back
With cynical self-reprieve.
To forge ahead with no misgiving.
Another thing He loved to see
A radiant countenance
Contentment with His will and grateful
For His gifts or adversity.
Justice He most treasured
To see with one’s own eyes
To balance every case, select
What’s accurately measured.
And those who labored tirelessly
To reach the finish line with
No short cuts, with excellence
That’s what He loved to see.