Shrines Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Shrines

Naming child is too hard

I chose name for first son
-gave him name as "Nima"
-had reasons and causes
-is my Dad, if reversed,
-also, is dearest, loveliest
-of poets; father of a revolt
-in writing of verses.
-He is the greatest of writers…

Nima is a word, which
-is mostly Caspian's.

Its meaning is "crest".
-It can mean any "arch"
-like the bow for arrows,
-in buildings above doors.

Nima was a rebel
-I love him as I do
-love Jesus to El-Che
-and others…all of them.
-I love son as father; and he too
-has rebelled against me.

The poet who rebelled has written
-much, many delicate words and books
-among them about the descendent
-of Imams; one shrine! ! !
- (is rooted in culture of Shiites!)

People had beliefs like,
-tying ropes or frills
-to branch of trees…
-his book is about this…

He wrote and explained
-how someone left a sign
-to avoid lost and found
-someone tied second one.
-Then many…came shrine
-which was named as child of
-a saint and an Imam…

Such shrines are many in Iran!
-Most of them jokes for fun
-are-made-up, truly very dumb
-among the worst, this one:

"A man was carrier…
-took cargo town to town
-and village to village…
-had donkey which stopped
-and no one came to help or cure
-donkey died…
-the man was at cross
-buried the animal…
-on grave, piled much sand…
-a passing caravan came along…
-shy to tell them the fact,
-the loser narrated stories:
- ‘had visions and dreams;
-of the child Imam,
-one of saints being buried…'"

Kind people, believers
-came along, donated
-the man, the carrier,
-became rich and then changed.
-He built home and shrine over there.

Such can be Qom-Shiraz
-far many more, beyond
-given names and accounts…

The news I read now
-of people in Iran, tired of
-the ruling of mullahs:
- "Some have set fire to
-the shrine…Imam's child! ! ! "

Such toms have been used by
-the Goddamn, lazy ones
-with turbans and cloaks
-to con us, brainwash
-and obtain fame and wealth
-to enjoy easy life.
-I, for one, am easy with
-those who burn shrines…