As Mr. Sa’id Reza’i (1) told a friend of his in a phone conversation, during the early period of the arrest of the YARAN, when they were going through interrogations and had a difficult time, one major source of empowerment for him was the thought that the friends all around the world were praying for them. This is what  his poem “Deliverance” is about.

—

Deliverance

By: Sa’id Reza’i 

Translated by one of Mr. Rezá’í’s friends

With warm breaths then pray for me; pray for me when the nights are cold

Pray your vows would come to be, that we meet and soothing discourse hold

My times, then, in this cage recall; I thought of you here most of all

I thought of you with every breath, each time my chest would rise and fall

Pray for me, pray for the rain, I thirst; oh pray for falling rain

I thirst; let the fountainheads burst, pray, pray for me again

…..

When this entreaty from the soul rose up, His House of Justice called:

They said, “When called, you replied ‘aye’, your soul was by His love enthralled

To say aye is now your wont and use; love does your heart and soul infuse

You were called, and thus was filled with love your very soul and sinews!”

……

You prayed, I heard, from your spirit’s depth; with all of your sad heart’s lament

You asked the One who shelters all to free me from imprisonment

But know, my friend, my love my mate, you who all my sorrows share

My body is my only cage, and my limbs are my only trap and snare

To fly to Him is release for me, to glance once into His eyes and see

To fly to Him and for evermore be unfettered, be unbound and free

So henceforth, in the cold of night, with warm breaths when you pray and chant

Pray that in His precincts I would become a poor mendicant

A slave who in his path would weep, with lashes and tears His path would sweep

Pray that moonlight lights my nights, that the true Friend may my friendship keep

That while sobbing before Him I could tell Him that I have loved Him true

That I would be His slave and would His every bidding gladly do

I pray, Lord, now that you set me free; your breaths alone could free me

Let my soul wing its homeward flight, towards that ample open sky

In your heart make a home for me and let me be forever nigh.

1- Sa’id Reza’i is one the seven Baha’i leaders known as Yaran. He is currently serving a 20 year sentence in prison. For more information please visit http://news.bahai.org/human-rights/iran/yaran-special-report/profiles

—

Source: http://goo.gl/pKvSKG