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Poetry

Of meat and men

By Korosh Khalili
October 21, 2003
The Iranian

Hear the tale of Bol-Ala
Who in his whole life
Never tasted fish or meat
Nor to men brought strife

Illness threatening his being
His doctors did prescribe
Chicken soup, served to him
To make this diatribe

Patient finding the dead bird
In such a sorry state
Tears of regret he did shed
While pondering fate

"Why were you not?" he asked it
"A lion, strong and wild?
"So that no man could turn you?
"Into soup so mild?"

"Death is only for the weak;
"it is its natural end.
"The mighty also perished,
"but only when weakened."

(based on an Iraj Mirza poem)

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