First Thing First Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

First thing first

For four days I have learned quite a lot,
It starts, the fifth now.

Hands, feet and body work, not my mind
Great things it reminds:

“World is large, ways many, and peoples
Plenty, too varied.”

“Wound it first, ” said the boss, the builder
“To remain in order.”

It matches woman’s words, complaints
“He is neat, but no end.”

She wants him done and gone but not him
Until has his next job.

And this all takes me there, to those years
San Anton, in Texas.

The woman, pregnant; she cursed me at start
And it was crazy.

But later she turned to, my ever best teacher…
I lost name but not deed.

I ended in her house, she was poor, so learned
She told me, “don’t finish.”

Later on explained: “Your building’s repairing”
Tax exempts and cheating.

Then gave me a book on Eagles’ greed, fights,
It has been best teaching.

“One is us, another Soviets, they will kill, fight
Till one dies, vanishes.”

Oh greed…love of wealth…go away and leave
Leave me where I like be…be a man, human.