After Long Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

After Long

After years and decades
-five? Or six? Or seven?
-I played the exact childish game
-fingers red, I tried to balance the ears!

Though very similar
-now and then do differ!

Then we had farms, trees
-perfect for playing "Hide and Seek! "

Then, free and mindless
-we grabbed each of the branches
-pulled them down and held them
-and plucked sour cherries
-in single and masses with sticks…

Some of them very ripe
-tore skins in action
-marking our fingers red
-and we took to faces
-then shouted: "Am wounded;
-Have blood everywhere! "

This game was a sample, similar
-to climbing trees, ‘mulberries'
-and kicking, and picking
-white to pink to black-violet…

We made lines on ourselves and cousins
-both from sour-cherries and berries
-and from prior, when twins, decorated ears
-on each one we hung one
-and on each of twins hung twin
-till they reached to skirt of the shirt, or to hip…

Today I, after years, did the same
-but cherries came from the market;
-went purchased in the box and basket!

Though the same, they are too different!