Prize Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Prizes

Looking back into time
- (as a child in Tehran, in Iran)
-seems like time was longer
- (or we were limitless in action!)

How could we do so much?

One was the search in "Jooy"
-or the so called: "Sewer"
-by roadside…

Then, water to drink,
-to cook, wash and clean
- (the dishes and bodies)
-was not in the round pipes
-and faucets (as are now!)

The water came in "Jooy"
-was stored in cisterns
-for washing the dishes.

The person in charge of area
-had a name, called "Mir-Ab"
- (The Master of Water!)

Rags were left at hoses
-to filter unwanted
-but was not sufficient

To fight worms in cistern
-fish were used…Each summer
-mud, sewage was removed and taken.

Drinking water came in by
-the men and horse with cart
-in black skin-bags or in tanks.

Later though "Feshari"
-carried water, free…
-the pump worked by pushing single knob.

We, the boys of my age
-sat by the "Fesharai"
- (where the Jooy had step)
-and dug in with bare hands…

Everything could be found;
-coin, to watch, and broken glass.

The first was, always, wished.

Too much was done and seen
-like making wooden cars
-for tires, ball-bearings;
-handle joined with a hinge.

A box had two bearings
-then flat bar of wood
- (turned to "T")
-under which a bearing
-rotated, went forward, steering.

Pushed the car, one or two
-another took wheeling;
-when the car picked speed
-the pushers could jump in.

I wonder if there was anything
-we did not try or, could not do,
-wish was one, to achieve; not clue!

This is where the winners
-come to get Mathematical Fields Medal
-Prizes for Maryam and Caucher
- (equal to Nobel…)

First woman was Iran's
-and Iran's Kurd is now.

I wonder if limits, the deprived…
-physically and social, political,
-can be base, or the cause for efforts
-to search for, do hard work,
-persevere till you find what is lost! ?