A religion lost?

Racism, discrimination, bigotry/Babas, gurus, and Virgin Mary/Sai Baba, Meher Baba et al/Aren’t we a sad and pathetic lot?

For our Zoroastrian community/To advance/We need a leader who/In face of adversity/Will not flinch or cower.

To some I say:/"Why the ban?”/Why behave like/The Shiv Sena or/The Klu Klux Klan?/May I remind you/That we ourselves/Are living/On borrowed land.

I do implore/"Ye men of white/Your valuable knowledge/To us do impart;/Leave it to the laity/To shift the grain/From the shaft./As well as lead/Our community/On the right path.”

May the guiding light of Ahura Mazda/Lead us all on the path of/Humata, hukhta, huvrashta.

FARIDA BAMJI

Ottawa, Canada