March Eighth Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

March eighth

Maybe I was born in the mountains to learn
-flying and travelling
-physically and mentally
-till I crash or am caught
-by?

I fly on the wind, breeze and clouds
-on the theories and the thoughts
-on the dreams and wishes
-on the pains and joys
-till arrested…by?

And this time on the Eighth of March
-forced to take this day as ladies'
-makes me sick and tired…of all,
-including me, me and me…
-mom never counted the days for me…

Mother always was mother, sister-sister
-my daughter and female friends too
-days and names are laces on hands and feet
-they are cuffs on ankles and wrists
-they are bars forcing us to prisons…

What is March Eight but an excuse?
-to me to look for the women
-the ones that I look up to
-the ones who gave me life
-mentally and physically

I try and try and try to find the ones
-known to English speakers
-and those unknown to this language
-lost among the sea of women I feel
-drowned; therefore hate Kardashian
-and Monroe and their likes…
-Emily Dickenson is the one I find…
-a poet who could never be a part of
-this crazy society; though a great cook
-to Parvin Etesami whose poems kill me
-formed in the kitchen are rich, intelligent
I stop to meet Percy Shelly…
-he is a wild fighter whose story is as killer
-as is his woman's with the Frankenstein…
-then I go to Virginia Woolf, just misery
-and I move around…Mary Go Round

They were all raised in the libraries of
-good and literate fathers with many books
-did not bar these little girls; never, to be
-present in the gatherings of fathers to show
-their sweetness and cleverness…

I find many of similar girls and families
-they all have great and learned fathers
-they have all been respected daughters
-they had the key to the large libraries
-they became who they became thanks to
-such fathers…

Then I cry and cry and shudder like a willow
-I see Inca's daughter in love with an officer
-she is blocked and deprived to see Ollantay
-her beloved who is fired and punished
-I see Rabieh Balkhi killed in the bath
-for the same sin…loving a lower class…
-see Emily divorcing the world and hiding
-till is praised after death…as if…
-and I see Virginia killing herself…
-and Sylvia Plath does the same and…
-and I see Iris Chang do the same
-this time for being embarrassed of being…
-part of this brutal humanity; better not to

And I read the books of these days
-Hate is planted between daughters- fathers
-in the name of patriarchy being enemy…
-and daughters abandon or are abandoned
-in nowhere with no one's love and or care
-all for food, and sex, are labour …
-until killed or natural death…
-as are cows for milk
-and cattle for meat
-sheep for wool