graveyards of iran

for the people on the Shapour Bakhtiar blog, for the khar who helps me carry heavy burdens up mountains, and for all of you.

graveyards of iran

and you cannot leave and you cannot stay

and you want to move on

but you need to grieve

1979

and the clock strikes zero and time stands still

on your graveyards of iran.

and all i ask is that you ask

and learn to understand

without gullt or shame

because it doesn’t really matter if it was the shah

or ayatollah or bakhtiar

i know how you trusted this man.

there can be no judgements, there must be no blame

betray, be betrayed, they are one and the same

i know how you loved this man

slowly slowly

the clock strikes one

on your graveyards of iran.

still you cannot leave but you cannot stay

there is no choice

but to wait

and learn to understand

and hold each other’s hand

slowly slowly

truth uncloses

patience patience

time moves forward

water your dead

the sun will rise over

lilacs and roses

on your graveyards of iran.

______________________

i cannot leave i cannot stay

i’ve tried to tell you so many ways

you may not understand

i, i too,

just like you,

have my graveyards of iran.