Me
By Mersedeh Khozin
February 14, 2002
The Iranian
I have endured the raping of my homeland
I have survived the journey of thousands of miles of suffering
Only to stand before you
And have become me
I have brown eyes
I play guitar
I pluck my eyebrows
I used to get sick a lot
I like the color of wine
I believe in the ancient beauty of Persian culture
I believe a girl can dance freely
I have nails on my right hand that break a lot
I've lied to my parents
I've cheated on tests
But I still have brown eyes
and my nails still break
and I probably won't always like the color of wine
The visions I bear
robbed my 6-year-old innocence
An emblem of suffering rises from my skin
Continuous bombings explode into my tears
Yet, the fierce darkness of my eyes still glow
And the toil of pain has enhanced my wisdom
What I've seen makes how I am
but never will I let them dominate what I become
I have lips that always smile,
I have firm breasts,
I have veins that bleed
I feel the pain of others
but cry for no reason
I like open flame
I listen to Faramarz Aslany
I listen to Morcheeba
I've cheated on diets
I've faked applications
But I still bleed
and my lips still smile
and my breasts won't always be firm
Beauty led to violation
A reminder of confrontation grows within me
My childhood represents my disgrace
Memories engrave scars within my soul
My blood I left behind
as this strange land overwhelmed me
I heard the winter
I heard the rain
I saw the blossoms in the trees
I mixed "Madreseh Moosha" with Scooby Doo
Confusion made me
I judge your knowledge by the questions asked
not by what you say
I have my mothers nose
and my fathers feet
I write
I've faked flirtatious French accents
My little toe is strange
I used to play "Leely Leely Hozak"
I have Persian black curly hair
borrowed from my grandmother
I fight with my sister
But I still have my mothers nose
and I won't always judge the way I do
and I may not always write
but maybe I should start playing "Leely Leely Hozak" again.
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