Kaveh Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Pedaling
The accordion like bag filling and emptying
Of air

Stove
Red fire of the wood, charcoal and live coal
Burns

Smith
Anvil in front, sledge hammer in right hand
Beats

Left hand
Holds the unshaped hot iron, he hammers
His anger

Then
Bellows, hammers, rams with ramrod and
Rasps

Then
Emery in hand grates and softens to form
A tomorrow


Kaveh, the name given to most of the Kurds, was a metal smith turned revolutionary to help Fereidoon, the mythical/historical father of Iranians. in war against Azhidehak/Zahhahk. He was a non-Iranian, most probably Arab or some kind of Semite ruler whom Iranians chose to replace the brutal Godless Jamshid. After Iranians accepted and approved the foreign king and he became settled his diet was to eat brains of two young men per day. To save these youths, kaveh who for some time acted as cook to the Zahhak replaced one of the young men’s brain with a lamb’s. Using this strategy he saved a man per day. Kurds are those grateful saved men. They are the pure Iranians and the proctors of the Iranian past, traditions and history as well as bravery that is an Iranian culture.

This poem is dedicated to Kurds, who are now and have been for decades, the source of abuse by both sides of internal and external politics.