THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

"So you would like to interview me?" God asked.

"If you have the time" I said.

God smiled. "My time is eternity."

"What questions do you have in mind for me?"

"What surprises you most about humankind?"

God answered...

"That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again."

"That they lose their health to make money...
and then lose their money to restore their health."

"That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future."

"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived."

God's hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked...

"As a parent, what are some of life's lessons
you want your children to learn?"

"To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved."

"To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others."

"To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness."

"To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them."

"To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least."

"To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings."

"To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently."

"To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves."

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.

"Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?"

God smiled and said,
"Just know that I am here... always."

-author unknown

PROGRAMMER'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

'Twas the night before implementation and all through the house,
not a program was working not even a browse.
The programmers hung by their tubes in despair,
with hopes that a miracle would soon be there.

The users were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of inquiries danced in their heads.
When out in the machine room there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a super programmer (with a six-pack of beer).
His resume glowed with experience so rare,
he turned out great code with a bit-pusher's flair.

More rapid than eagles, his programs they came,
On update! on add! on inquiry! on delete!
on batch jobs! on closing! on functions complete!
His eyes were glazed-over, fingers nimble and lean,
from weekends and nights in front of a screen.

A wink of his eye, and a twitch of his head,
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
turning specs into code; then turned with a jerk;

And laying his finger upon the "ENTER" key,
the systems came up and worked perfectly.
The updates updated; the deletes, they deleted;
the inquiries inquired, and closings completed.

He tested each whistle, and tested each bell,
with nary an abend, and all had gone well.
The system was finished, the tests were concluded.
The users' last changes were even included.

And the user exclaimed with a snarl and a taunt,
"It's just what I asked for, but not what I want!"

Anonymous

A CHRISTMAS VISIT TO EBAY

'Twas the Night Before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, but me and my mouse

I eagerly sat at my PC with care
Booted it up and my Windows were there

I typed in my screen name, then password and click
I was on EBAY, just me and St. Nick

I checked out the status of all my high bids
I upped the reserve on a gift for the kids

That being done, I was ready to play
So, I keyed in a search for New Listings Today

When what to my wondering eyes should behold?
Just four thousand, eighty-nine items in bold

The Gallery Preview, I scrolled and I browsed
My cravings were heightened, but just not aroused

An old clockwork nodder, a scarce sisal bough
But I needed something to purchase right now!

Who better to buy for and lavish upon?
One stroke on my keypad to Go, Going, Gone!

"Transferring Document" What takes so long?
Five percent, ten percent, what could be wrong?

There was no scheduled maintenance; EBAY's just slow!
Then two items appeared in a Yuletide glow

A pot metal Reindeer which left me bereft
And a Belsnickle Santa with two minutes left

Three pictures loaded, in focus and clean
A Solemn old Santa, the best that I've seen!

He seemed a bit pricey, but who could resist?
I hope there's no snipers, 'cause they get me pissed!

One minute more, there's no time to bid twice
I'll just have to offer my best highest price

Submitting it now. The reserve has been met.
You're the high bidder, wow! Just how good can it get?

Ten seconds, five now, refreshed and reposed
The bidding has ended, this auction is closed!

Good God, what a moment! Comparison's fail
Then all of a sudden a voice, "You've Got Mail"

I opened it quickly, the seller did query
"Do you have intentions to buy that now, dearie?"

My reply would be brief, just a quick cut and paste
"Dear, Snowman@Earthlink" my fast fingers raced

A Postal M.O. No, I know you'll be moved
I'll pay it with Billpoint, it's EBAY approved!

Just one more peek at my rosy cheeked Elf
He's just the right size for my prize mantle shelf

It was late and my eyes were all glassy and pink
When I noticed my Belsnickle gave me a wink!

Then a voice from my speakers, which gave me a fright
"MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, and to ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"

by William Blake

1To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
2All pray in their distress;
3And to these virtues of delight
4Return their thankfulness.


5For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
6Is God, our father dear,
7And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
8Is Man, his child and care.


9For Mercy has a human heart,
10Pity a human face,
11And Love, the human form divine,
12And Peace, the human dress.


13Then every man, of every clime,
14That prays in his distress,
15Prays to the human form divine,
16Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.


17And all must love the human form,
18In heathen, Turk, or Jew;
19Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell
20There God is dwelling too.

GeorgiaBoy: Gawd I love that poem! Mr Blake had a way with words! Thanks for posting it!

Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one
And down he run
Hickory dickory dock

LuckyCat9: Well hello Lucky..

I see you enjoy the nursery rhymes..

The lion and the unicorn
Were fighting for the crown

The lion beat the unicorn
All 'round the town

Some gave them white bread
Some gave them brown

Some gave them plum-cake
And drummed them out of town

-- L.C.

who cares what colour?, black or white
why do we torment?, why do we fight?
we are all on this earth for better or for worse so why do we treat it as if it was a curse?
each on of us is different, hair, hight or weight,
so why cant we all just give or take?
we are all just people, so treat each other as one,
then our world would be better and life could be more fun.

The tree branches hung over the long green grass,
where flowers lay and butterflys passed,
for they did not know what lay beneth.

Beneth them was a sorrow place,
where people cry and some say grace,
because they know what lies beneth.

Benny they cried why did you leave?
we miss you so much
we miss you in the morning afternoon and night
when we were sad you would show us the light.

Flowers appeared, tears flew away
with out any fear
that benny now lives in a better plac than here

How long till this war is over
till this war has come to an end
i shall fight till the day
i can tell my wife that i love her
my children to be brave
my mother not to be scared now
as the war is near to save

Ive seen many dieing
there lying all around me
im fighting in a see of muddy deat
many screaming wounded
legs arms and face
theres hardly any supplys left
this land is such a horrid place

The wa if finall over
many friends have died
my memorys will sty with me
the guns the bombs the death
all f these will stay put
my life, i shall ae the most of it
no i realised how short it could of been
and what this fighting should all mean

'Jump,jump'yelled the pilot,
'Or you shall suffer by fire
I,in a chute,was thrown like a slingshot
Through a massive rain of crossfire
After a forced tug,on my weak frame
I floated gracefully at the air,I cut
And the plane and pilot were aflame
And the rain of bullets,I could not duck
As I hit the ground,just like the plane
I limp several times yet I'm fine
My senses confused of a bleak terrain
Where,there sits a shadow on the sky
As I walked towards it,there sat a German tamk Just sitting on the desert so dead
Left by them escaping'us yanks'
To the sea these Germans fled
In pride,I started the damn thing up
I figured,who'd mind my steal?
What it was,was a German frameup
For there stood an armed German in the field
As I steered the wild piece of machinery
The German was firing his gun
I became amused at the loony's galantry
I soon had this guy on the run'
I must kill this guy'I thought
Till out he flung a grenade
This was a very surpising onslaught
In my iron coffin,ready made
Of course,I died and am glad to be in heaven
Yet,I just had to tell this tale
For our young people,who've forgotten
This bloody war I had unveiled
By RAYMOND FRENCH

Many lives have been lost
But all battles will be won at all cost
Flares in what was a blue and white sky
Now means a good man may die
All our commanders leading
And the infantry bleeding
Through the mud,we went
All covered with mud of an awful scent
Shoving our weapons into a trench
The dirty B------,we'd lench
The old tight boot,I wear on my foot,
Has gathered that mud and rock in pursuit
We all yelled,with our evil roars
'We'll kill those little hoars!'
Blood and carlage are everywhere
A smokey cloud fills the air
Growing sick and ghostly pale
I'd fight and must not fail
Scars and sweat lay on my face
The defeated rats,I'd chase
My gun on left,a grenade on right
I was ready for some more fight
The battle,however,rolled on and on
But the enemy just can't lay us down
I cry all day for the conforts of home
This dirty,bloody war is very dumb
To kill another human being
Who's gun I should be fleeing
Should I be the military deserter
Or the liscenced murderer?
I'm weary so I close my eyes
Clasping my hands to the sky
'Dear LORD,why am I here?
This evil war has brought me tear.'
If GOD be with this rugged bunch,
His battle has just begun
We'll go home to our motherland
For a homecoming marching band
Drink wine and dance with our loves
And drop our pistols and guns
by RAYMOND FRENCH

America

Hark hark the dogs do bark
The beggars are coming to town
Some in rags and some in jags
And one in a velvet gown

To a Haggis

Happy Burns Night, 25th January.

(Thanks to Baconjoe in Glasgow for this link)

This I think is the very first time that I post on this board.

And for you, I have chosen a piece of Farsi lyric, the corresponding song to which you can ask from Harley. If she wishes to and it is no problem with her, she can send it to you via e-mail or something? (sorry Harley for the trouble)

Here's the Farsi text, then its pronounciation in English, and then it's meaning, to the best of my abilities. Farsi songs and lyrics and generally poetry, are very much culturally bound. I assure you if you ever can understand a Farsi poem, you'll hardly ever be interested in other poems unless they're real masterpieces!

*******************************


ای وطن ، ای مادر تاريخ ساز
ای مرا بر خاک تو روی نیاز
ای کوير تو بهشت جان من
عشق جاويدان من ، ايران من
ای ز تو هستی گرفته ريشه ام
نيست جز اندیشه ات انديشه ام
آرشی داری به تير انداختن
دست بهرامی به شير انداختن
کاوه ی اهنگری ضحاک کش
پتک دشمن افکنی ناپاک کش
رخشی و رستم بر او پا در رکاب
تا نبيند دشمنت هرگز به خواب
مرزداران دلير جان به کف
سرفرازان سپاهت صف به صف
خون به دل کردند دشت و نهر را
باز گرداندند خرمشهر را
ای وطن ای مادر ايران من
ماذر اجداد و فرزندان من
خانه ی من ، بانه ی من ، طوس من
هر وجب از خاک تو ناموس من
ای دريغ از تو که ويران بينمت
بيشه را خالی ز شيران بينمت
خاک تو گر نيست ، جان من مباد
زنده در اين بوم و بم يک تن مباد
.
.
.
وطن يعنی همه آب و همه خاک
وطن يعنی همه عشق و همه پاک
به گاه شير خواری ، گاهواره
به دور درد پيری عين چاره
وطن يعنی پدر ، مادر ، نياکان
به خون و خاک بستن عهد و پيمان
وطن يعنی هويت ، اصل ، ريشه
سرآغاز و سرانجام و هميشه
.
.
.
سپيد و صخره و دريا و هامون
ارس ، زاينده رود ، اروند ، کارون
وطن يعنی سرای ترک تا پارس
وطن يعنی خليج تا ابد فارس
وطن يعنی دو دست از جان کشيدن
به تنگستان و دشتستان رسيدن
زمين شستن ز استبداد و از کين
به خون گرم در ، گرمابه ی فِن
وطن يعنی اذان عشق گفتن
وطن يعنی غبار از عشق رفتن
وطن يعنی هدف ، يعنی شهامت
وطن يعنی شرف ، يعنی شهادت
وطن يعنی گذشته ، حال ، فردا
تمام سهم يک ملت ز دنيا
وطن يعنی چه آباد و چه ويران
وطن يعنی همين جا ، يعنی اِيران
وطن يعنی رهايی ز آتش و خون
خروش کاوه و خشم فريدون
وطن يعنی زبان حال سيمرغ
حديث ژاله زار و بار سيمرغ
سپاه جان به خوزستان کشيدن
شهادت را به جان ارزان خريدن
نماز خون به خونين شهر خواندن
مهاجم را ز خرم شهر راندن
وطن يعنی اذان عشق گفتن
وطن يعنی غبار از عشق رفتن
وطن يعنی هدف ، يعنی شهامت
وطن يعنی شرف ، يعنی شهادت
وطن يعنی گذشته ، حال ، فردا
تمام سهم يک ملت ز دنيا
وطن يعنی چه آباد و چه ويران
وطن يعنی همين جا ، يعنی اِيران

ايـــــــــــــــــران

*************
********************

ٍNow the pronounciation!

/ae/ = 'a' as in cAt
/e/ = 'e' as in bEt
/o/ = 'o' as in wOrd
/a:/ = long 'aa' sound as in bAr.
/u:/ = long 'oo' sound as in bOOt
/i:/ = long 'ii' sound as in flEE
/y/ = 'y' sound as in Yet
/kh/ = how 'r' is pronounced in 'entRez'
/gh/ = how 'r' is pronounced in meRci
/sh/ = the normal 'sh' as in SHop
/j/ = 'j' as in Jar
/ch/ = the normal 'ch' as in CHair
/i/ = 'i' as in sIt
/zh/ = how 'g' is pronounced in garaGe or 's' in televiSion.

*********************

/ey vae'taen, ey 'ma:daere ta:'ri:kh 'sa:z/

/ey mae'ra: baer 'kha:ke to 'ru:ye ni'ya:z/

/ey 'kaevi:re to be'heshte 'ja:n e maen/

/eshghe ja:'vi:da:ne maen, 'i:ra:ne maen/

/ey ze to has'ti: geref'te ri:'she aem/

/ni:st joz aendi:'she aet, aendi:'she aem/

/a:'raeshi da:'ri: be ti:r aen'da:khtaen/

/daes'te baeh'ra:mi: be shi:r aen'da:khtaen/

/ka:'veye a:'haengaeri: zaeh'ha:k 'kosh/

/pot'ke dosh'maen aef'kaeni: na:'pa:k 'kosh/

/'raekhshi o ros'taem baer u: pa: daer re'ka:b/

/ta: 'naebi:naed dosh'maenaet haer'gez be kha:b/

/maerzda:'ra:ne dae'li:re ja:nbe'kaef/

/saerfaera:'za:ne se'pa:haet saef be saef/

/khun be del kaer'daend daesh'to naehr ra:/

/ba:z gaerdan'daend khorraem'shaehr ra:/

/ey 'vaetaen, ey 'ma:daere i:'ra:ne maen/

/'ma:daere aj'da:do faer'zaenda:ne maen/

/'kha:neye maen, 'ba:neye maen, 'tu:se maen/

/haer vae'jaeb aez 'kha:ke to na:'mu:se maen/

/ey dae'ri:gh aez to ke vi:'ra:n bi:'naemaet/

/bi:'she ra: kha:'li: ze shi:'ra:n bi:'naemaet/

/kha:'ke to gaer ni:st, 'ja:ne maen mae'ba:d/

/zen'de daer in bu:'mo baem yek taen mae'ba:d/

/vae'taen yaen'i: hae'me 'a:bo hae'me kha:k/

/vae'taen yae'ni: hae'me 'eshgho hae'me pa:k/

/be 'ga:he shi:r'kha:ri: 'ga:hva:re/

/be 'dore daer'de pi:'ri: 'eyne cha:'re/

/vae'taen yae'ni: pe'daer, ma:'daer, niya:'ka:n/

/be khu:'no kha:k baes'taen 'aehdo pey'ma:n/

/vae'taen yae'ni: hovi:'yaet, aesl, ri:'she/

/'saera:gha:zo saeraen'ja:mo hae'mi:she/

/se'pi:do saekhr'eo daer'ya:o ha:'mu:n/

/ae'raes, za:yaende'ru:d, aer'vaend, ka:'ru:n/

/vae'taen yae'ni: sae'ra:ye tork ta: pa:rs/

/vae'taen yae'ni: khae'li:je ta: 'aebaed fa:rs/

/vae'taen yae'ni: do daest aez ja:n kaeshi:'daen/

/be taenges'ta:no daesh'testa:n raesi:'daen/

/zae'min shos'taen ze esteb'da:do aez kin/

/be 'khu:ne gaerm daer, gaerma:'beye fi:n/

/vae'taen yae'ni: ae'za:ne eshgh gof'taen/

/vae'taen yae'ni: gho'ba:r aez eshgh rof'taen/

/vae'taen yae'ni: hae'daef, yae'ni: shaeha:'maet/

/vae'taen yae'ni: shae'raef, yae'ni: shaeha:'daet/

/vae'taen yae'ni: gozaesh'te, ha:l, faer'da:/

/tae'ma:me 'saehme yek mel'laet ze don'ya:/

/vae'taen yae'ni: che a:'ba:do che vi:'ra:n/

/vae'taen yae'ni: haemin'ja:, yae'ni: i:'ra::::::::::n/

/vae'taen yae'ni: rae'ha:yi: za:'taesho khu:n/

/kho'ru:she ka:'veo khaesh'me ferey'du:n/

/vae'taen yae'ni: za'ba:ne 'ha:le si:'morgh/

/hae'di:se zha:le'za:ro 'ba:re si:'morgh/

/se'pa:he ja:n be khu:zes'ta:n kaeshi:'daen/

/shaeha:'daet ra: be ja:n aer'za:n khaeri:'daen/

/nae'ma:ze khu:n be khu:nin'shaehr kha:n'daen/

/moha:'jem ra: ze khorraem'shaehr ra:n'daen/

/vae'taen yae'ni: ae'za:ne eshgh gof'taen/

/vae'taen yae'ni: gho'ba:r aez eshgh rof'taen/

/vae'taen yae'ni: hae'daef, yae'ni: shaeha:'maet/

/vae'taen yae'ni: shae'raef, yae'ni: shaeha:'daet/

/vae'taen yae'ni: gozaesh'te, ha:l, faer'da:/

/tae'ma:me 'saehme yek mel'laet ze don'ya:/

/vae'taen yae'ni: che a:'ba:do che vi:'ra:n/

/vae'taen yae'ni: haemin'ja:, yae'ni: i:'ra::::::::::n/

/i:'ra::::::::::::::::::::::
:::n/

****************

Whew! That's long! I really got tired! I've been at this for an hour and a half so far!

I'll post the meaning in another message, just in case BK doesn't allow long posts!

And now the meaning:

Oh Fatherland, Oh creator of History

(Iran is known to have 10.000 years of civilization, so the poet says it's the 'mother' of history or the creator of it.)

Oh the land whose soil I am in need of (and am bound to)

Oh, your desert is my soul's heaven

(in Farsi desert is a place in which no plant grows and in Iran we have plenty of it. The poet says that even the deserts of Iran are as good as the heaven to him)

Oh my eternal Love, Oh my Iran

Oh, (the land which) my roots have been given life to by you.

(the poet says that he's a tree and its roots are living by the life Iran has given them)

Except thinking of you, I have no other thinking.

You have a certain man named Arash, who's famous for shooting arrows

(A very famous poet in Iran, named Ferdosi, has a very very famous book named Shahnameh, and Arash is one of the main charecters in the book an dis very skillful at shooting arrows using his bow)

And a Bahram, famous for killing and huntin lions

(Bahram is another charecter of Shahnameh, and is very powerful and hunts lions as a hoby with his hands!)

A Kavey Ahangar who finally kills Zahhak

(These two are two more charecters of Shahnameh and Zahhak is a very cruel king whose shoulders have been kissed by teh devil and two snakes have grown on them the food of which is only human brain. So Zahhak has to kill people and empty their skulls and give their brains to te snakes and is finally killed by Kaveh who's a Black Smith.)

(and is) Very powerful and teh killer of those who are impure in their souls.

A horse named Rakhsh, and a very powerful man named Rostam who rides it,

(Rostam and Rakhsh are again from that book and the very main charecters. Rostam is very powerful and fights against the evil powers.)

that your enemies cannot even dream of them (Rakhsh and Rostam) in their sleeps.

(you also have) Soldiers who are very brave and keep the borders and are not afraid of death (and are willing to sacrifice their loves for the country)

And armies whose soldiers stand in rows (armed and ready)

They (the soldiers) even bothered the plains and rivers (by roaming an dfighting on them)

and took back Khorramshahr

(Khorramshahr is acity in southern Iran, that was ocupied by Iraqi soldiers during the eight years of war between Iran and Iraq, but finally we took it back.)

Oh my fatherland, oh my modest mother

(The word 'Iran' means modest or modesty in its roots. here the poet uses the word not as thename of a country, but as an adjective for the word mother)

Oh the mother of my fathers an dmy children,

Oh my home, my land,

Each part of your soil, even as small as a palm of a hand, is as dear and precious to me as are my sister, wife and mother.

(In Iran men are very caring about the women who are in their family an dtehy mean most precious to them)

I never want to see you in ruins,

I never want to see your plains empty of lions

(here the poet has likened the soldiers to lions and says that he wants to see teh country always full of those who guard it.)

If your soil no longer exists, I wish for my life to vanish too.

I also wish that (if your soil is no longer ours and you're not name diran anymore) no person remains alive in the entire country.

.
.
.

Fatherland means all water and all soil
(all that there is in Iran is my fatherland, be it soil or water)

fatherland means Love, and pure love (not just any love)

Means a cradle when you're a baby

And the solution to your problems when you get old

Father land means : father, mother, all ansectors

To vow to the blood and soil (that you'll remain loyal to the country)

Fatherland means identity, genitor and root

the beginning, the end and all eternity.

.
.
.

(it means) Sepid ( river in Iran) and rocks and the sea and all plains

Aras, Zayanderood, Arvand, Karoon (all rivers in Iran)

fatherland means the home of Turks (Iran's north-west) up to the home of Pars (Iran's south-east)

Fatherland means teh gulf that'll remain named Fars for ever

(Arabs recently wanted to change its name to Arab gulf instead of Persian-Fars-gulf!!)

Fatherland means forgetting about your life (and getting ready to die for teh country)

And reaching very tough-to-cross places
(In the war between Iran and Iraq, there were some places that no human could normally pass, such as mountains, but our soldiers did it!)

washing the land off from tyranny and enmity,

By the warm blood in the public bath of Fin.

(this talks about a man named Amir kabir who fought against the king of Iran in about 300 years ago an dwas finally killed in a bath named Fin by having the vessles in his hands cut. Poet says that his warm blood washed away the cruelty from Iran.)

Fatherland means saying the prayers in love

means cleaning the dust from Love,

Fatherland means goal, means courage

means honor, means martyrdom

Fatherland means teh past, the present and teh future

All a nation has from the entire world

Fatherland means, be it in ruins or flourishing,

fatherland means right here, means Iraaaaan.

fatherland means getting rid of fire (war) and blood (that's shed in war)

The anger of Kaveh an dFereydoon (two of the charectors in Shahnameh, who conquered cruel kings in their time)

fatherland means what Simorgh would be telling now

(Simorgh is a legendary bird from Shahnameh who is very wise and helps Rostam with his missions)

and it means what happened on Zhalezar (square in Tehran, in which our ex-king, Shah, orderd his soldiers to open fire on innocent people before our revolution)

it means moving the army to Khuzestan ( a place in Iran)

And accepting martyrdom very easily and willingly

saying prayers while covered in blood to the city of Blood

(Khoramshahr is a city in Iran and the word 'khoram' means green and full of trees. In war, many people were killed in this sity and peopel chnged its name to 'Khuninshahr.' Khunin means full of blood.)

making the enemy back off from Khoramshahr

Fatherland means saying the prayers in love

means cleaning the dust from Love,

Fatherland means goal, means courage

means honor, means martyrdom

Fatherland means teh past, the present and teh future

All a nation has from the entire world

Fatherland means, be it in ruins or flourishing,

fatherland means right here, means Iraaaaan

Iraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan

رضا: No problem at all to send it to anyone who wants by email.
Thats a great explanation, is it your own interpretation of it or a standard text?

harley: Nope, that's how I could translate the text. It's not even close to teh original meaning. Just the surface meaning is there! To understand teh art in that poem, you must be a native speaker!

رضا: Is this Arabic language or a language written and spoken in the area/region you live?

http://www.farsinet.com/farsi/ I think this will answer that. Reza, is this page accurate?

Radiant Aunt: The link is quite fine. Thanks Eriisa. My language, and as you said Arabic, share the same alphabet but are spoken quite differently. Arabic has 28 letters but Farsi has 32.

I found a couple of interesting teaching sites as I was googling. ok, getting off topic tho.

Reza, can we have some more?

Eriisa: Sure. When I have the time. Those two posts took me 3 hours to type!

For those interested, some more on Farsi poetry.

Farsi Poetry from Afghanistan

Persian Poetry in Farsi

I like this one:
Hafiz, a poet who lived in the 14th century.

Yes. Hafez, or as you call him, Hafiz (!) is the most popular poet in Iran an dhis work is magnificent in a word. Though to understand it, you must know enough Farsi and be familiar with our culture. I do recommend having a search on him and trying to find some of his work in English, if there's any good translation, that is.

Oh I just checked the link PhatPlaya gave about Hafiz. That's his poems in English. Excellent link. Thanks.

Listen
hear the breeze,
the running water'
the birds tweeting,
the flys buzzing,
The crickets chirping,
The fish swimming,
The dragon flies humming,
The butterflies fluttering.

Feel,
The silky flowers,
the soft breeze,
the gentle grass,
The warm sunlight

Smell
The fresh grass,
The scented roses,
the fresh air

I have chosen for you some of my favorites in your own language:

Carroll, Lewis

Brother and Sister

"Sister, sister, go to bed!
Go and rest your weary head."
Thus the prudent brother said.

"Do you want a battered hide,
Or scratches to your face applied?"
Thus his sister calm replied.

"Sister, do not raise my wrath.
I'd make you into mutton broth,
As easily as kill a moth!"

The sister raised his beaming eye,
And looked on him indignantly
And sternly answered, "only try!"

Off to the cook he quickly ran.

"Dear cook, please lend a frying-pan,
To me as quickly as you can."

"And wherefore should I lend it to you?"
"The reason, cook, is plain to view.
I wish to make an Irish stew."

"What meat is in that stew to go?"
"My sister'll be the contents!"
"Oh!"

"You'll lend the pan to me cook?"
"No!"

*******************************


LOl! I didn't get anything from that peom!

Any morals? May be: Never stew your sister!


Are you and your brother in such 'pan and meat' relationship Winnie? LOL.