This is an archived snapshot of the Bahá'í Library Online. See current version at bahai-library.org.

Poetry

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1. Adelbert Mühlschlegel: Seine Gedichte in zwei Sprachen: His Poetry in Two Languages, by Adelbert Muhlschlegel (2010). Overview of the life of this Hand of the Cause, written by his daughter and son-in-law, and a selection of 31 poems, with the original German and English translation presented side-by-side. [about]
2. Age of Anxiety and the Century of Light, The: Twentieth-Century Literature, the Poet's Mission, and the Vision of World Unity, by Suheil Badi Bushrui, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 13:1-4 (2003). W. B. Yeats, T. S. Eliot, W. H. Auden, and Kahlil Gibran were writers who recognized and confronted the spiritual and intellectual crisis of their time. The mission of the poet is to bear witness, maintain the integrity of language, and express truths. [about]
3. "Angle of Ascent", The: Process and Achievement in the Work of Robert Hayden, by Ann Boyles, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 4:4 (1992). Hayden's poetry explores the process of individual and collective social and spiritual transformation in the contexts of contemporary culture, the Bahá'í Faith, black history, art, literature, nature, disease, and suffering. [about]
4. Another Song, Another Season: Poems and Portrayals, by Roger White (1979). A collection of poems and prose: sympathetic and sometimes satirical portraits of martyrs, pioneers, and ordinary people, expressed with a poet’s vision. [about]
5. Artist Biographies from Arts Dialogue (2001). A list of artist profiles which can be found in the Bahá'í Association for the Arts newsletter (offsite). Linked articles include poetry, photography, and samples of visual art. [about]
6. Bahá'í Classes Songsheets (2008). Compilation of 99 songs, with lyrics and chords to songs by Gloria Faizi, Red and Kathy Grammer, Kathy Liebman, Cat Winterfox, Jackie Elliot, Tom Price, Steve Seskin, Allen Shamblin, Mildred McClellan, Wiley Rinaldi, Bob Simms, Lloyd Haynes, et al. [about]
7. Bahá'í Song Book (2005). Lyrics to 95 popular Bahá'í songs, including prayers and writings that are often sung. [about]
8. Bahá'í Songs with Guitar Chords (2008). Compilation of 78 songs, with lyrics and chords to many songs, mostly Bahá'í, but including some popular children's songs. Authors' names not included. [about]
9. Can There Be a Bahá'í Poetry?, by Geoffrey Nash, in Bahá'í World, Vol. 17 (1976-1979) (1981). The poetic vision; poetry in the 1800s; themes of Bahá'í poetry; the use of profane imagery. [about]
10. Chase's Chaste Chase: Poems, by Jalal Sunstrum (2023). Twelve poems on the theme of facing reality on our way to the promised land of world peace and joy. The title is in honor of Thornton Chase. [about]
11. Chicago the Pagan, by Weimar Port (1953). 2-page description of the Bahá'í Temple in Wilmette, with a poem about it by Charles Collins published in the Chicago Tribune. [about]
12. Crucible, The: Poems, by Jack McLean (1995-1996). 53 poems, some written after the passing of the author's father, Allan James McLean (d. 1995). [about]
13. Declaration of the Bab (Poetic), by David Merrick (2008). A poetic meditation on Mulla Husayn's transformation at the Declaration of the Bab. [about]
14. Deft Adjustment, The: English-language poetry in present-day Israel, by Roger White, in dialogue magazine, 2:2-3 (1988). Discussion of Israeli and Jewish poems, and reviews of the books Voices within the Ark, Modern Hebrew Poetry, Penguin Book of Hebrew Verse, Seven Gates: Poetry from Jerusalem, and Voices Israel. [about]
15. dialogue magazine: image scans of all issues (1986-1988). All six issues (in picture scans of each page) of an independent, short-lived journal containing scholarly discussion, news, interviews, and poetry. [about]
16. Emergence of a Bahá'í Consciousness in World Literature: The Poetry of Roger White, by Ron Price (2002). A study of White's verse with a short biography and an analysis of the Bahá'í Faith. [about]
17. Explanation of Spiritual Evolution as Taught from the Bahá'í Teachings, by Lua Getsinger and Edward C. Getsinger (1899/1911/1958/1997). Chart "Cycle of Life" allegedly drawn on Abdu'l-Bahá's behalf (1899) to refute reincarnation; accompanying text quoting Lua's pilgrim's notes by Curtis Kelsey (1958); a letter from the Universal House of Justice (1997); and a talk by Lua Getsinger (1911). [about]
18. Eyes of the Children, The, by Sheila Banani, in dialogue magazine, 1:2 (1986). One poem inspired by female infanticide in China. [about]
19. Family Plowing and other Prairie Poems, by Duane L. Herrmann (2019). Nine poems selected by the author, from a collection celebrating the prairie and life on and under it. [about]
20. Gathering Traces: Selected Poems 1975-2002, by Jack McLean (2002). 95 poems written during phases of life including marriage and child-rearing in Quebec, a teaching career, separation and divorce, a stay on an island in British Columbia, and early retirement. [about]
21. Glimpses of Abdu'l-Baha: Adapted from the Diary of Juliet Thompson, by Roger White, in Another Song, Another Season (1979). Portrayals and dramatizations in verse, adapted from recollections by Juliet Thompson. [about]
22. Hidden Meanings in the Poetry of Robert Hayden, by Duane L. Herrmann (2012). The Bahá'í Faith influenced Hayden's work on multiple levels, beyond his obvious allusions to the Bahá'í teachings regarding brotherhood of races or acceptance of religions. [about]
23. Homage to Memorials of the Faithful, An, by Julio Savi, in Lights of Irfan, 17 (2016). Poems inspired by eight of the personages of "Memorials": Shaykh Salman, Nabil-i-Zarandi, Darvish-i-Sidq-‘Ali, Shaykh Sadiq-i-Yazdi, Zaynu’l-‘Abidin Yazdi, Shaykh ‘Ali Akbar-i-Mazgani, ‘Abdu’llah Baghdadi, and Jinab-i-Munib. [about]
24. Ichnographical: 173, by Duane L. Herrmann (2016). Poems of life, experience, and transcendence. Sample of poetry from the published book, selected by the author, for sharing with the Bahá'í Library. [about]
25. Impressions from the Rock of Gibraltar: The Journal of a Travelling Teacher, by Jack McLean (2010/2020). Book-length compilation of essays and poetry, written while travel-teaching in Spain and Morocco, August - December 2009. [about]
26. Journey of Broken Hearts, by Chris Jones Kavelin (2005). Three poems on meeting or loving the Beloved, and one inspired by the music of Henryk Górecki. [about]
27. La poésie du Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Aspects de l'esthétique, by Pierre Daoust (2018). Les concepts philosophiques qui éclairent sur le sens de la vie et la nature spirituelle de l'être humain, révélés sous forme de prose rimée caractéristique de la poésie arabe. Le Kitáb-i-Aqdas touche à l'esthétique et au bonheur. [about]
28. Letters inscribed upon His sacred scroll: An anthology of poetry by Australian Bahá'ís 1999, in Australian Bahá'í Studies, vol. 2 (2000). A collection of 16 poems. [about]
29. Literature of Persia, The: A Lecture delivered to the Persia Society, by E. G. Browne (1912-04-26). A selection of Persian poetry, featuring poems by Nabil, Tahirih, and Bábí martyrs. [about]
30. Margaret Danner, the Black Arts Movement, and the Bahá'í Faith, by Richard Hollinger, in elixir-journal.org, vol. 3 (2016 Summer). Short overview of the life of a black Bahá’í poet of some renown in the 1960s and 1970s. Includes one sample poem. [about]
31. Mission of Bahá'u'lláh, The: And Other Literary Pieces, by George Townshend (1952). Poems, meditations, and essays, including "Nabíl’s history of the Báb," "Abdu’l-Bahá: A study of a Christlike character," "Queen Marie of Rumania and the Bahá’í Faith," "The wellspring of happiness," and "The genius of Ireland." [about]
32. Most Great Peace (a rap), by Brett Zamir (2007). [about]
33. Music, Devotions, and Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, by R. Jackson Armstrong-Ingram, in Studies in Babi and Bahá'í History, volume 4 (1987). An in-depth examination of the development of music and hymns within American Bahá'í devotional life, some history of the Chicago community, and the architecture and construction of the Wilmette temple. Includes sheet music and design plans. [about]
34. Mystic Ramblings and Daydreamings, by Badi Shams (2022/2023). Poems, meditations, and quotes from Bahá'í Writings and other sacred scriptures. [about]
35. Ná'ím: A Bahá'í Poet, by Roy P. Mottahedeh, in World Order (1967 Winter). Biography of and selection of poems by a Persian Bahá'í in the time of Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá. [about]
36. Nayriz Heroes: 22 Biographies of Bábís and Bahá'ís from Nayriz, Calligraphy of Ahmad Nayrizi, and Poetry of Vafá, by Hussein Ahdieh (2013). Bios of Muhammad Shafi, Nayrizi Vahidi, Abu Turab, Imam Jumih Shirazi, Ahmad Khoshnevis Nayrizi, Muhammad Nayrizi, Pari Jan Khanum, Shaykh Bahá'í, Jalal Misaghi, Rooha Ahdieh Misaghi, Muhammad Husayn, Shafi Rouhani, Ja'fari Yazdi, Ibrahim Khoshnevis, etc. [about]
37. New Horizons for the Child, by Stanwood Cobb (1934). Understanding the child; character training; home life; the child as an individual; limitations of activity education; children as creative and active beings; romanticism vs. classicism; builders of civilization. Includes 20 pages of childrens' poetry. [about]
38. No Known Address, by Duane L. Herrmann (2020). Nine poems selected by the author, from a collection of Holocaust poetry. [about]
39. Notes on Persian Love Poems, by Marzieh Gail, in World Order (1968 Spring). A short history of Persian poetry. Includes a selection of poems by Hafiz, Rumi, Ali-Kuli Khan, and others, many related to the Bahá'í Faith or quoted by Bahá'u'lláh or Abdu'l-Bahá, and one written for Abdu'l-Bahá. [about]
40. One Bird, One Cage, One Flight: Homage to Emily Dickinson, by Roger White (1983). In over 100 poems, inspired by themes and images from Dickinson's letters and poetry, White narrates her life from age 14 until her death in 1886, salutes her wit, and pays tribute to her person. [about]
41. Oppression and Universalism in Selected Palestinian and Bahá'í Poetry: A Contrastive Analysis, by Geoffrey Nash (2022-12). Contrast of literatures informed by dispossession and oppression; the thought and context of Bahá'í poet Robert Hayden (1913-80) and Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008); martyrdom; universal humanism. Link to article (offsite). [about]
42. Pioneering Over Four Epochs: An Autobiographical Study: Poetry and essays, by Ron Price (1944-2013). Table of Contents for a memoir of six decades of teaching & international travel, an extensive personal account of the experience of a Western Bahai beginning in the 2nd epoch, 1944 to 1963, of the teaching Plans. [about]
43. Poems, by Leslie Garrett (2016-2019). [about]
44. Poems from a Misty Island, by Jack McLean (1997-1999). Poetry written while on a two-year stay on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. [about]
45. Poems in Latter Days, Some, by Jack McLean (2022). Poems written 2009-2022 on themes from incidents in everyday life, eulogies to friends who have passed and others still living, metaphysical poems inspired by the spiritual quest, and the many faces of love. [about]
46. Poems Often Enrich My Spirit, by Betty Eskuche (2005). A collection of a dozen poems and the Bahá'í quotes that inspired them. [about]
47. Poetry and Self-Transformation, by Roger White, in The Creative Circle, ed. Michael Fitzgerald (1989). Poetry is no longer very accessible to the average reader or widely read; serious poets are often in conflict with their times; the Bahá'í Writings provide a foundation for poetic expression and a renewed spiritual aesthetics. [about]
48. Poetry and Transformation, by Peter E. Murphy, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 24:3-4 (2014). A personal story of how the evolving attraction to and love of poetry transformed the author's life. Poetry, faith, and the revealed Word can have a dramatic effect on one's struggle for personal transformation in the midst of crisis and turmoil. [about]
49. Poetry from dialogue magazine, by Gretchen Sousa and L. B. Chase, in dialogue magazine (1986-1988). Nine poems by six authors, published in various volumes of Dialogue. [about]
50. Prairies of Possibilities, by Duane L. Herrmann (2005). Sample of poems from the published book, selected by the author — whom Midwest Quarterly celebrated as "one of the most recognized poets in Kansas" — for sharing with the Bahá'í Library, [about]
51. Praise the King of Glory: New and Selected Poems, by Duane L. Herrmann (2017). 9 poems, selected by the author, from a collection published to celebrate the bicentennial of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh. Many of the poems refer to events in the life of Bahá’u’lláh. [about]
52. Purpose of Poetry, The, by Shirin Sabri, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 1:1 (1988). Justifications for the work of contemporary artists; now is the time for Bahá’ís to work towards the flowering of civilization, using art as a unifying force to create links of understanding; poetry provides a means of approaching spiritual reality. [about]
53. Recuerdos de los amigos del Consejero Raúl Pavón Mejía: Padre de la enseñanza a los indígenas en Ecuador, by Various (2008). Compendium of stories and testimonies from the many friends who shared life and Faith with this renowned teacher to the indigenous peoples of Ecuador. Includes five pages of poetry, at end. [about]
54. Reflections on the Art of My Poetry: An Interview of Roger White (1929-1993), in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 26:1-2 (2016). A glimpse into the mind of a gifted poet and the struggles that he, like many Bahá'í artists, encountered in responding to Bahá'u'lláh's exhortation that art best serves humanity when it elevates and edifies the soul and its spiritual receptivity. [about]
55. Remnants of a Life, by Duane L. Herrmann (2019). Poems that reflect on a childhood that was survived in spite of events and conditions; a message of hope for others that survival is worth the effort and more than mere survival is possible. [about]
56. Remoteness: Selected Poems, by Julio Savi (2002). A lengthy collection of poems, some originally written in Italian and translated to English by the author. [about]
57. Reunion with the Beloved: Poetry and Martyrdom (2004-06). Poetry by or in honor of early Bábí and Bahá'í martyrs. Includes foreword by Hushmand Fatheazam, and discussion of the concept of martyrdom, cultural issues, and history of persecutions. [about]
58. Scholarship from an Aboriginal Perspective, by Diana Rose Yoka, in Bahá'í Studies in Australasia vol. 3 (1996). Scholarship can be demonstrated in our daily lives, through how we interact with each other and put Bahá'u'lláh's admonitions into action; it is not limited to the written word: to have meaning it needs to include experiential learning. [about]
59. Selected Poems by Qurratu'l-`Ayn, Nabil, and other Babis, by Tahirih Qurratu'l-Ayn and Nabil-i-A'zam, in Materials for the Study of the Babi Religion (1918). [about]
60. Shedding Light in the Hearts: Reflections on Poetry, by Julio Savi, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 11:1-2 (2001). Limitations and merits of poetry as an emotional stimulus, as truth, and as a privileged form of linguistic expression, and its purpose as a spiritual conception of the nature of reality. [about]
61. Short Poem by "Darvísh" Muhammad, Bahá'u'lláh: Sáqí az ghayb-i baqá burqa' bar afkan az 'idhár, A: An Introduction and Three Versions of Provisional English Translations, by Frank Lewis, in Lights of Irfan, Book 2 (2001). Three alternative renderings of a translation of one of Baha’u’llah’s early poems, writing during his sojourn in Kurdistan; comments on his poetic work. [about]
62. Simla, a Tale of Love, by Stanwood Cobb (1919). A Hindu legend retold in poetic form: a story of love and devotion that reconciles flesh and spirit, love and life, the world and the soul. [about]
63. Solace of the Heart: selected poems, by Peter Mputle (2015/2020). 30 contemporary poems on spirituality, inspired by the Seven Valleys and "troubles of the affairs of mortal nature." [about]
64. Song Celestial, The, by Howard Colby Ives (1938). Book-length poem about the search for God, in which a seeker asks God various questions, and God responds. [about]
65. Songs of the Spirit: A Collection of Poems Written during the Fast 2003 and 2004, by Dawn Staudt, in Solas, 4 (2004). [about]
66. Sweet Scented Dreams: Poems for Devotion, by Duane L. Herrmann (2011). Selection of twelve poems of a devotional nature from a Bahá'í perspective, some previously published individually. [about]
67. Táhirih: A Portrait in Poetry, by Amin Banani, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 10:1-2 (2000). An account of Tahirih allowing her own voice, through her poems, to speak for herself, her time, and her motivations; it is her poetry that both reveals the layers of her complex motivations and makes her accessible. [about]
68. This is Faith, by Ruhiyyih (Mary Maxwell) Khanum (1954). One poem. [about]
69. Three Meditations on the Eve of November Fourth, by Abu'l-Qasim Faizi (1970). Essays and poems written by Hand of the Cause A.Q. Faizi on the evening of Shoghi Effendi's death, November 4 1957. [about]
70. Translating Rumi, by Anthony Lee, in elixir-journal.org, vol. 3 (2016 Summer). Reflections on the challenge for a translator to bring a poem from one language and culture into another, while remaining true to both the spirit and the meaning of the original. Includes samples of Rumi's poetry. [about]
71. Two poems: "A Portrait of Time" and "Surrender", by Vahid Chittleborough, in The Family: Our Hopes and Challenges (1995). [about]
72. Two Poems: The Muse, Don Quixote, by Sheila Banani, in Solas, 3 (2003). [about]
73. Two Poems: Threnody, Mystery of Life, by Hugh McKinley, in Solas, 3 (2003). [about]
74. Verse, in Bahá'í World, Vol. 18 (1979-1983) (1986). Poems by Ruhiyyih Khanum, Giuseppe de Marco, Gilbert Robert, Martyn Burke, Audrey Marcus, Anneke Buys, Geoffrey Nash, Judith Partelow Provost, Adelbert Mühlschlegel, Larry Rowdon, Victor de Araujo, Shirin Sabri, Roger White, Bret Breneman, et al. [about]
75. Wayfarer between Two Worlds, A: Recollections, by Harry Liedtke (2013/2022). A chronicle of some of the highlights of the author's seventy-five years as a Bahá'í, and covering the years 1927-2022, including periods in Germany and Canada and historical events from each. Includes poems and photographs. [about]
76. What Is God?, by Stanwood Cobb (1955). Poetic meditations on the nature of God and our search for the divine, "an attempt to open up vistas into the Infinite in a way that prose could not accomplish." [about]
77. Whilst He Was in Suleymaniah: Extracts and poems from the memoirs of Nabil Zarandi, by Nabil-i-A'zam (2002). Handful of short extracts and poems from the memoirs of Nabíl-i-A`zam [aka Mullá Muḥammad-i-Zarandí, aka Nabíl-i-Zarandí]. on the conduct of the Bábís in 'Iráq during Bahá'u'lláh's self-imposed exile. From Nabil's unpublished narrative. [about]
78. Whispers of Angels: Poems, by Jack McLean (1990). A collection of 89 poems dedicated to the author's father. [about]
79. Wisdom and Wit of Roger White, The: Two Reviews, by Marzieh Gail and Hilda Phillips, in dialogue magazine, 1:4 (1987). Reviews of White's books One Bird One Cage One Flight and A Sudden Music. [about]

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