Zoroastrian poems

I thought I would share these with my readers:

The Sacred Fire

Sacred as the symbol of God
sacred as the symbol of the soul
the fire burns in the temple
and inside each of us
always waiting to be ignited
by the active force of Ahura Mazda
that leads us to doing the Good Will on earth.
Right thought, right word, and right deed
is communicated by the divine flame
that directs us through the Good Mind.
There is nothing better than building
paradise on earth to overcome
that which is destructive to creation.
Seeking a positive way of life
with the One who is the creator of the universe
the mind, heart, and soul
becomes the one goal for each human.

Yalda

Sitting around the warm stove
with a wool blanket tucked in my lap
I listen to the poetry of Hafiz being recited
by the man sitting opposite me
while a plate of samanu and oranges
is passed on to me.

The sun is waiting to rise
above the horizon
on the longest night of the year
when darkness ceases to overtake
the earth,
swallowed up by time
when light finally triumphs.

Six pomegranate seeds are consumed
by each of us, the sweet and slightly tart flavor
reminding us how the earth slowly warms
under the snowy mountains.

On the day Mithra is born
the earth witnesses peace and happiness,
waiting for the new life to spring forth.

Heaven on Earth

Eyes raised to the sun
standing with hands outstretched
holding the sacred prayer cord
invoking the name of Ahura Mazda
establishes sanctity and peace on earth
in one's life
in one's family
in one's homeland
where the faithful work diligently
whether for money or not
service to humankind
brings closer together
the harmony required
for prosperity to exist
on earth.

All poems have been reprinted with permission of the author, Mary Thatcher. These originally appeared on Associated Content/Yahoo Contributor Network.