A Place I Long For

Jamál (Beauty), 19 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Sunday, September 7, 2008 about 9:50 AM Pacific Time

Daily Writing Practice Prompt for September 7, 2008: Write about a place you long for.

The place I long for is a verdant mountain in Haifa, Israel. There are steps ascending the maintain and terraces on the mountain's side. Nineteen terraced gardens connected by steps leading up the mountain.

The place I long to visit is the Baha'i Shrine and Gardens, Haifa, Israel. I live in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States and the place I long for is at least half a world away. I want to climb the steps and smell the flowers. I want to visit Mount Carmel. I want to ascend the steps to each terrace. I want to pray in the shines.

My grandmother always wanted to go to Israel, but she never did get to go. Grandma Newland longed to go the Israel just as I long to go. I don't know if there was any place special she wanted to visit. I wish now that I had asked her where she wanted to go in Israel. I wish now I had asked her why she never went.

I long to visit
the gardens on Mount Carmel
and pray in the shrines.

I long to go outside
the country of my birth
and see another part of the Earth.

I long to visit
the Baha'i Shrines and Gardens
on Mount Carmel.

I long to see
where Baha'u'llah walked
and talked.

Note about the Poem: I don't think the poem is finished, but I'm not sure what I want to add. Perhaps this is a two-part poem and the other part waits for me to visit Mount Carmel to finish it.