The House That Nima Built

A poem from Karyn Henley

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The House that Nima Built

This is the house that Nima built.

These are the friends made in the house that Nima built.

These are the walls holding memories of all we’ve

            Made in the house that Nima built.

These are the hands that dropped former plans

            And made new choices to honor their voices

            And to color the walls holding memories of all we’ve

            Made in the house that Nima built.

These are the souls, the lives now made whole,

            Dropping their plans, freeing their hands

            To make new choices, to honor their voices

            And to color the walls holding memories of all we’ve

            Made in the house that Nima built.

This is the space, the open-heart grace

            That welcomes the souls, the lives now made whole,

            Dropping their plans, freeing their hands

            To make new choices, to honor their voices

            And to color the walls holding memories of all we’ve

            Made in the house that Nima built.

And the truth we all know is that what these walls show

            Is only a start of what lives in our heart,

            For we go beyond walls to wherever life calls

            Holding space in our hearts, giving space to our art,

            We now see past our doubts, for we’re part of the house

            And the space

            And the grace

            That Nima built.