I used to live in a fairytale garden
— long before my Valentine
long before I became someone else's
the whole universe used to be mine
I could close my eyes and follow my heart
gates opened their loving arm:
“Welcome to garden of sincerety
where hands hold stronger than a promise!”
a wave of gold over a wheat farm
drowned me in an ocean of joy
and brought me the promise of no more cold winters
callous hands grew fields of saffron
to feed their red blood to the world outside
tears watered the red wild poppies
to adorn the graves of the strong and the bold
whose glory — they may try — but can not hide
I used to know a tree like no other
tall, strong, and old enough to trust
its strong arms in a loving embrace
warded off the harsh sun from my face
with its love wrapped around the little “me”
he said, “fly away, to the land of the free!”
As I sit in this empty garden of peace
with not a twig over my head, no leaves, not even vines
I know I've traded my garden for a box of chocolate
in the new land of valentines.
Author
Zohreh Khazai Ghahremani is a freelance writer, poet and artist. She lives in San Diego, California. Top
