Dread Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Dread

Halloween? Not for me;
-though time says:
- "It may be! "

It is night and I walk
-I walk in dark of night
-and in times feel fright
-as I did in Nimrooz…

It was night and was dark
-my clothes were local
-and we were dozens of
-men who had left Iran
-heading for the heart of
-wars, fear, of Afghans…

Some might say:
- "Brainless! Crazy! "

Let the world feel free
-since we did what we did.

Our pickup was stuck
-in the sand at midnight.

Constellations, stars
-many moons, satellites
-decorated skies…

Miracle lived, alive
-of Big-Bang or Allah?

Whatever one may say
-to poet, was great.

"The Bandits…" someone said
-when we saw many lights
-approaching; from far…

Bandits were with no one
-not even Taliban…

They were thieves and aware
-the workers that return
-have plans to settle
-have worked to get married…
-Mostly worked and had earned
-good amount of money
-in cash or transformed, transferred…

Bandits wanted a share…

They could be nice and take
-the money, gold, silver
-and could be brutal
-kill with gun and or knife
-put the head on the chest…

The shadows in all shapes
-ran to sides in desert
-and carried bundles of
-fearful thoughts, dread!

Now walking on the leaves
-fallen off the trees
-and dried underneath
-my shoes I felt seeing
-the bandits when racing
-with the bikes signalling:
- "For dying get ready! "

The shadows of trees
-ugly shapes of buildings
-and sky cloudy;
-saw nothing but dread
-was it for Halloween?

I thought of no trick
-and there was no treat.

Pumpkins were scary
-as were the tars hanging
-from the branches
-like in caves, the old webs!