Stand Up Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Stand up

Ay people, be aware
I could not sleep well
Felt fear when I heard
"They stripped..."
I woke up at midnight
Heard the same head to tail
"They were in uniform, four of them..."
I kept up; he went on:
"Wore civil, took me out...in Kenya."
At its end, and final:
"They sold me, turned me in to no-one."
I tried to sleep...
Mind and heart both worked out as if said:
"What a shame...you claim you are wise..."
Some message they conveyed.
I listened and murmured:
(Half asleep, half awake)
"They take off and fly somewhere far; drop bomb..."
"They claim they are fine and others they blame..."
"What to say to devils with the guns? "
Wave of thoughts like their ads on TVs, radios, their loud talks:
"We are right."
Thought of them shamelessly taking men in handcuffs
Somali and Kenya crossings; illegal
Leaving men in far lands; in the wild
Speechless the young man; unaware,
His parents powerless and hopeless

For your sake my friend
For you poor, and labor
Time has come to stand
Risking life, I raise flag;
On it my slogan:
"You cruel in power; wealth, greed or tricks...regardless..."
"We're tired, " we tell them then reach out for what must
Being words, being sword or bomb, gun; but chest out:
Unafraid, we walk tall
So please the faithful, just and kind come join us.
"Better dead if no rights; life is once."