I wrote this poem six years ago for the International Women's Day. More Iranian women have become more aware of their rights, yet the Islamic State continues to repress them the same way it did 6 years ago, or 36 years ago. What should be done?

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ONE MILLION SIGNS OF PAIN


On the splendid plateau of my land
For the last thirty years of choked breath
Cloaked bearded men of Islamic brand
Time-traveller tyrants from old Arabia
Have planted phallic bars of Sharia Law
And celebrated dark demons of deceit
With dictators of worst kind in command.


Blades of injustice have ripped through
Women’s mind leaving one million signs of
Pain behind one million wounds to mend
Under bruised skies of a bloodthirsty trend.


But in this darkest field of steel weeds
And strangler vines there are gentle breeds
Of swaying blossoms splashing stars that turn
The darkness into light stillness into dancing
With glancing floods of love on the lights
Of Cyrus Cylinder first charter of human rights
Dreaming not of a Saviour not of a Clown
Who is like no one but of themselves alone
The way they ought to be when they’re awake.


They go on the road door to door quarter
To quarter city to village voicing words
Passing pamphlets enacting ordeals collecting
Signatures in support of changes to tribal laws
Against women in defiance of sordid men
With thickened crevices in their brains.


They go through revolving doors
Of Evin jail, of the Dark Ages minds
In the language of quiet change convicted
Of pregnancy with the concept of
Women’s parity in all realms of life.


They emerge from that hell with celebrations
Gather in each other’s houses refresh their vows
And keep at it hard and heavy till Enlightenment
Comes in to win their rights in the Year of One.


For now one million signs of pain blaze and burn
Into their One Million Signatures Campaign
As the curves of their minds become new paths
To the garden of fair play and their persistence
Opens the floodgates to their righteous way.

 

May one day victory of daughters
Of Anahita be rejoiced by everyone
Throwing flowers into the Goddess’s
Flowing waters in not so far future.


©2009, Azadeh Azad