David Keig - Isfahan

Words lay within their langauges, whose use now is commonplace
their art was wondrous magical, their calligraphy like lace
for it was in mighty Isfahan that such scholars learned their ways
of understanding nature and its mind beguiling maze
they gave us words like alcohol, algebra and alchemy
yet in their crafted paintings no human image could be seen
for man was not perfection and the holy one on high
forbade them from idolatry and the envy of our eyes
they saved our grecian libraries from predatory hordes
and then lionheart crusaders put their world unto the sword
for once in distant Isfahan mankind did brightly flower
in many ways accomplish-ed and yet it seems that our
histories lack gratitide for the gifts that islam gave
and this lack of our humility is but the digging of our grave.

David Keig

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/isfahan/