The Parliament of the Birds ( based on the Sufi-Poem by Farid ud-Din Attar)V 2

In the heart of a forest, the birds convene, A Parliament of creatures, in search of the unseen. They seek the Simurgh, a being so wise, The answer to life, beyond earthly ties. The hoopoe, their leader, with voice so clear, Speaks of the journey that they must endear. Through valleys of doubt, and mountains of pain, To a palace of light, beyond worldly gain. Each bird reveals its fears, its strife, Ego, pride, and desires that hinder life. The nightingale weeps for love lost in vain, The parrot speaks of wisdom, but cannot refrain. Yet the hoopoe, with patience, shows them the way, That beyond all illusions, they must stray. The birds must give up their self-centered song, And in unity, they must march along. Through the seven valleys they journey, bold, From the Valley of Search to the Valley of Gold. The trials, the tests, the moments of dread, Till at last they reach the place, where light is shed. At the end of their journey, what do they see? The Simurgh, a reflection of themselves, wild and free. For the truth they sought, they carried within, The divine is found when the self is dimmed. In the mirror of the Simurgh, they understand— The soul is united, one with the land. The Parliament of Birds, now wings spread wide, Returns to the heavens, with nothing to hide.