Arlington Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Arlington

Bird and I
(Wall apart)
Sing same song
“Life is short, let’s be kind.”

Her chest warm
So is mine
Hers with love
Mine, love lost

Soon laid eggs in her nest
Will roll and will be hatched
Chicks will nag but love glows
Parents work and chick grows

I scratch murals off my chest
They are filled with designs
Memories
I off-take from mind to paper

“Life is short, let’s be kind.”

Like today was a day
And a wall between us
They were in, I outside
Each singing his own song

We in line; pass in hand
Line was long
For visa to get out
We meant say “It’s enough”

Too slow in motion
Suddenly things had changed
Unaware, we were lost
Line broke; people were scattered


Some young men
Bearded, neat and clean
Stood in like soldiers
Hands on butts, ‘Attention’

Some went away
I stood for a while
Curios I had a talk
In charge was Bazargan

I questioned politely but burning
“Do you know what you’re doing? ”
One answered, rolling down Khomeini
“We’re taking Devil’s Den”

When he said Jorsoomeh
I noticed he’d been trained
Like the time I had fight
“He’s no good, brainwashed”

Slowly and kindly
I told him “Sure you know”
I too left but in doubt
Of outcome

I had lost some friends
Siblings were against
For comment I had made
On future’s president

“No more such,
I should not, surely not.”
Kept the pain deep inside
Then I heard of attack; USA on Tabas

I had seen a movie
Brando though ugly was hero
Being Americans as always
I was told to accept

Oh birdy, oh my bird
We’re apart by a wall
You on branch
I, here, computer

Came Hercules and choppers
They left sea; for desert
The order of Carter
Many died; their ops failed

Arlington knows it all
Burned bodies underground
Washington shame on you
With crimes and your lies

Cemetery in silence
Is filled with stories
Carved on those stone
Truth untold; many lies

I hear from here
Bird tells me
Migration has brought
Stories of the dead

Bird sings them so nicely
I hear the anger
I hear soldiers shout
“Politics shame on you.”

Takeover of that Den
The fire in desert
Then the war with Iraq
And so on and so on

Shame on you politics
Arlington knows it all
Hey soldiers cry loud
Your stones are ears.