the force of love rolls down holy mountain sides
blanketing mothers and daughters
their faces glow like old world gas lamps
soft drops of rain fall like splashes of sugar
and bright red baby lips form and pucker
in the span of time all will taste such sweetness
but it can only be known by the strain of tests
the bite of a bitter lime born of an ottoman dungeon
the litter of decaying rose petals on a threshold
we must feel the pain of tortured sorrows
and taste the ash of fallen glories
from these years of trial and growth
family is born
friends are gathered under the flag of loyalty
and we make pilgrimage to the holy cities of man
in those shrines
in the sunlight
and in the darkeness
we hear a chanting in the distance
a song older than memory
it burns through the ages
and lifts the soul on high
the hot sun of acre beams in splendor
the travelers are drenched with sweat
we are gathering on hallowed ground
warmed by the footsteps of pilgrims
enveloped by the rugs of persia
and in this place we see the banner of victory unfurled
our hearts open safe
and all the joy of a thousand centuries rushes through our veins
-Jason Cyrus Akhtarekhavari 2/1/12
poems365dotcom 
Posted by Ang on February 2, 2012 at 3:00 am
I like this so much!
Posted by jasonstaroftheeast on February 2, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Thanks Ang! Rosa is an Akhtarekhavari that lives in Florida. She is a cousin. I connected with her through facebook and she has been very helpful in forming the Akhtarekhavari family tree that I created online. Don’t know if Rob mentioned the family tree to you or not? It is huge now and goes back many generations. All the Akhtarekhavari’s in the world are related and we all trace our heritage back to a famous Baha’i named Mulla Bahram and his siblings. He was one of the first Zoroastrian converts to the Faith. Many Zoroastrians from Iran converted to the Baha’i Faith in the early days. Let me know if you would like to check out the family tree and I can send you instructions and the password.