POETRY

He is an Iranian man

Olive-skinned, good-looking

He has a dream one night:

A classmate is praising him

For his high grades in math.

The classmate is blue-eyed

His skin as white as a fishbone

His blond hair set off by rose cheeks

He says, “Man, you have white

Skin, you’re so very intelligent!”

Angry, the Iranian grumbles:

“You have just offended me;

Without a ghostly white skin,

I’m intelligent and sharp unlike you;

I’m a proud olive-skinned man."

“It’s just a metaphor, white

 Skin I mean, for being brainy

And bright !” replies the racist

Bigot. “And you are just a jerk"

Makes known the Iranian.

When he wakes up

By the sound of his phone’s

Ringtone, he grabs it off the bed, "Hello?"

He answers as he searches for his pants.

It’s a female friend  whom he admires

For her valor. He listens for a while,

Then he says, “Girl, you have balls,

You’re so very courageous!”

Angry, the woman grumbles:

“You have just offended me,

Without two smelly, ugly balls

I’m courageous unlike you;

 I’m a proud woman with

Life-giving ovaries and womb!”

“It’s just a metaphor, having

Balls I mean, For being  brave

And fearless !” replies the sexist

Bigot. “And you are just a jerk!”

Makes known the woman.

Dumb-founded and dazed,

He does not grasp what he has

Heard; he cannot fathom

The depth of his hypocrisy.

He is an Iranian man,

Olive-skinned, good-looking!

© Azadeh Azad, 2011