September 17. On this date in 1979, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum wrote a poem, "On Hearing of Enoch's Murder." which starts "The sunlight is black, The sunlight is black, What raven wing, Covered my sun at noonday? In my mouth is the salt of tears, I cannot swallow so much salt..."

 

September 17. On this date in 1979, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum wrote a poem, "On Hearing of Enoch's Murder." which starts "The sunlight is black, The sunlight is black, What raven wing, Covered my sun at noonday? In my mouth is the salt of tears, I cannot swallow so much salt..."

The sunlight is black

The sunlight is black

What raven wing

Covered my sun at noonday?

In my mouth is the salt of tears

I cannot swallow so much salt . . .

Blood is so beautiful

Blood is so pure

Why do the people let blood

Run in the street?

So long it took

To make this man

Noble and good

His mind and his soul

Expanded like sunlight

At noonday.

Why did you kill him?

Are you pleased at this riddled shell,

This mangle of bone and flesh?

Did you think your deed in the dark

Was a bright light?

Everything is pulsing,

Throbbing and throbbing!

There is no answer

And the sunlight is black.

Go Enoch go!

Go to Musa on the hill

Go to your Master

Go to your Guardian

Go to the Kingdom of Light!

But ask not of us

Nor of your people

Who have plucked a sin

Big enough and dark enough

To blot out the noonday sun!

Woe to Africa!

Weep as you have not wept before,

Weep on your knees,

Weep your eyes blind,

You have murdered Abu'l-Futœh,

The Father of Victories is dead

At your hand, at your hand!

Your jeweled crown page laced by God on your head

Is rolled into the grave---

Weep, weep, weep your heart away.