I was reflecting on my time in Haifa, Israel and what I saw and felt as I walked the paths in the gardens and a special visit to the Shrine of The Báb.
Sacred Moments
I walked the path of red,
I saw the hedges, so low on either side,
I saw the gardens, with geraniums blossoming red,
I looked around and noticed the beauty in it all.
In front of me, the structure so majestic,
The arches; the colonnades,
And mounted on top: the golden dome,
In the sounds of the day, nothing but the beating of my heart.
Leaving my shoes outside, I enter through the heavy steel door,
To be greeted by a sense of peace,
The carpet under foot, so soft and welcoming,
Stepping forward, not sure where to look.
Another step forward,
My gaze fixed on the arched opening in front of me,
An opening to another room,
Almost like looking into another dimension.
Another step forward,
My mind goes numb,
I cannot see, what I can see, that is in front of me,
I keep looking, and all I can hear, is my heart thumping.
The threshold in front of me,
So beautifully decorated, with rose petals,
The fragrance so stunning, it will be remembered,
I prostrate in reverence, in memory of the Gate.
The Gate whose life was cut short,
I wished I lingered longer, in this sacred place,
But I can, I can, but through the memory of this moment,
And so, I treasure this sacred moment.
Luigi Giuseppe Vittorio
23 February 2023 10.30pm