Touched by Wisdom of One Soul

A couple of months ago, I got a most beautiful email from my niece Kira. She is actually the daughter of a very close friend. Somehow Kira and I have had a bond since the very beginning of our meeting. I always enjoyed our family visits but it was the time I had with her and of course her wonderful younger brother that I cherished.

You see, actually, a few things that were so unique, one is that there is an apple story I like to tell, to children, adolescents adults, to kids in hospitals and people in the cafe, I had told this story to Kira one day. I always need an apple and a knife. And so one day when she was shopping with her mother ( my close friend) Kira had come to her with a beautiful small yellow knife and asked if she could buy it. Her mother surprised had asked why, and Kira had said for Bahareh’s apple story: )

Another place we bonded is when we were going to make a video of one of my poems. The producer asked if I knew any little girls with life and energy and there was only ONE name that came to mind. The video is a great one and it is Kira who saved the day. You can watch it here: Stop Me From Jumping Over the Bridge of Life with One Word

So as I was saying, I had an email from Kira asking me if she could do a school project on me! I was surprised, honored, touched…. and I said sure of course, what can I do.

She then proceeded to send me a few emails and ask me detailed questions. I could tell that she had done her research, she had read the bio on the website, and also the articles written and then she came up with new questions I loved it.

Here is the beautiful result of it all…. I am truly humbled by the depth and breath of this “assignment of a middle schooler”.

Here is the Biography written by Kira about me:

 Baherah Amidi says “I hope to even reach the United Nations and present my views on as many topics as possible… I’m sure I’ll get there, I just need to continue focusing on raising awareness about my work until the time is right,” (http://gulfnews.com/life-style/people/when-the-muse-comes-calling-1.928515) This quote shows that Bahareh is a very strong, persistent women who can achieve her goals as long as she looks to the future. A lot of her poetry is very strong with a lot of figurative language. In her poetry she makes small things seem bigger, normal people seem extraordinary, big things bigger, and amazing people more amazing! She makes people feel good about themselves and the world; this is going to get her to her biggest dream.

Baherah was born March 21, 1967, the first day of spring. Her name Barerah means “Spring” in Farsi! 

She started writing poetry about 3 years ago. She has over 50 journals filled with poems (she says “I feel it has all been brewing in me.”). She was inspired at a concert of traditional Iranian musicians. She just started writing and didn’t stop until the music came to a complete stop. This is the exact moment she realized she was a poet and didn’t stop until 2 hours later (20 journals full later). She has written 

Baherah is just one of those people that just “go with the flow”. She is very passionate about her work and writings. She says that she loves being in front of an audience and capturing them in a sea of poetry to see the expressions on their faces change and she always has a little notebook to carry around with her where ever she goes. She says that poetry gives a voice to the people whose voices aren’t always heard. Poetry is not only a Band-Aid but may also help heal the heart and soul from wounds. 

I loved learning about Bahearh because I used to know her, we had her over to our house, she had us over to her house, it was a perfect relationship. She has helped me see the world through different eyes. Through poetry’s eyes.

 There were several different parts to this “Assignment”, Kira had also enclosed my Poem “Stop Me From Jumping Over The Bridge of Life With One Word” :

 This story all began in search of the one word that would make one not fall even if they jump

The one word must not differentiate between class and color

We are flying over a sea, which holds millions and millions of lives

of people who have jumped over the Bridge of life

Does the sea carry the one word or is the sea the one word I seek

So we go back once again to the one word which would save a life at any time if in despair

The healing word which rescues a wounded heart and an empty soul

Do you know what this word could be

Yes indeed now I do have a sense

that there would be a truth in the word that gives hope and vision

That makes one forget the past and look ahead

With one instantaneous decision one is making all the past disappear

but even more so all the future to never appear

If there was a person on a bridge trying to rid themselves of the realities of life

what would be the one word you would say

A word that would encompass Past Now and Future

A word that would mean hope without saying hope

A word that says look ahead and looking forward

A word with stability and no vulnerability

Yes the word is all encompassing of what is light and bright to come

The word is

TOMORROW!! : )

Then there was a critique of my poem, this I LOVE…..

This poem is free verse, as you can tell. There is no particular order in which she writes her poem. There is no rhyming, but if you read it you get the sense that there is a little hint of rhythm. I do not see any alliteration or assonance.

 The whole poem sets the mood of standing up for yourself, for others, too. I love this poem; it makes me feel like I can do anything as long as I keep in mind that there is always tomorrow.  Tomorrow gives us light, tomorrow gives us hope, and tomorrow gives us something to look forward to. Personally this poem means a lot to me because I always need something to look forward to, and now I do… TOMORROW.

And then the beautiful poem that Kira has written:

By: Kira  in the style of “Stop me from jumping off the bridge of Life with ONE WORD” by Baherah Amidi

Think before you do

 Once you do it you can’t hit the undo button,

Your decision was made, whether you like it or not

You will have to live with the mind shaking thoughts

Of what you once did

 

It shadows over you, as you must think

Of how, why, or what got the best of you.

It lives in your soul, at the bottom of a pit

The memory of what you once did

 

People around look in disgust

You now are under stress

You cannot think

More mistakes will come

One after the other, leading to

The thing you once did

 

Now just remember

What your parents told you

When you were younger

About thinking before you do

You never know how it will help

Until you really need it.

To erase the memory of the thing you once did

I would like to thank Kira for this honor. I will cherish this “assignment” for ever, more so I will cherish your kindness and wisdom and giving heart.

With all my heart and always and always….. 

Auntie Bahareh