Green After Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Green after…

Cautiously I’m roasting some peanuts
On it I, have added pepper, salt
But devil memories takes time off…
We are out…

We, cadets in class, and he talks
His lectures are funny, also fun
We turn, roll our eyes, to smile:
“He must be crazy, out of mind! ”

He tells us he cooked beans
He was poor, so halved it
Ate a part, remained rest
Turned green but he ate…

We took it as “grew”, we were young
He meant mould; left for long.

Now, poet and in need, in same shoe
I recall, those fun days; interpret
In the way he meant it, not our way
When roasting the peanuts cautiously…

Afraid of detector betraying by sign, sound
“Foo, fire…”
Embarrassed, I won’t have a reply…
Can I say: “I am poor and saving? ”

No! Never will I say: “I have seen moths lay eggs! ”
Poverty is roaming in my life; it is racing my pride…