Iran, a reflection

by Nazy Kaviani
13-Jul-2009

Dear fellow writers and contributors, A while back, an iranian.com writer and I briefly discussed having a writing contest on this site, whereby people would be invited to submit a short piece in the form of a blog. Our idea didn’t get very far and then all hell broke loose in Iran and we abandoned the idea in light of all the tragedies that were happening in Iran. These days, worse than my usual schizophrenic self, I feel so pushed and pulled with varying emotions. The diasporic Iranian in me alternates between feeling outraged and worried, the mother in me feels sad and bereft, and the human-rights supporter in me feels insomniac and charged to know, to tell, and to share. As usual, I find the best solace in dealing with these overwhelming emotions is to write, write, and write. Most of what I write, though, gets filed or deleted, for the emotions and thoughts seem to be too raw and too wild, without the requisite focus and patience to see them through completion. I now sketch and abandon a flood of emotions and thoughts on a daily basis, without a viable outcome. I wonder if any of you out there share this feeling with me. If so, please consider the following invitation. Let’s all start writing short pieces which are indicative of our feelings and reflections these days. Please consider joining me and other interested individuals in forming a group of writers to compile a series of essays for iranian.com that mark these important days in Iran’s history, and in our personal lives. Here are some simple guidelines for joining the effort:

To mark the group effort, everyone’s piece should start with the following words “Everyone knows[1] [1],” borrowed from Forough Farrokhzad’s poem, fath’e bagh (فتح باغ [2]), or Inaugurating the Garden, as translated by Sholeh Wolpe [3].
Your pieces should be between 500 and 750 words.
Please choose the following title for your blog so everyone knows it is a part of the solidarity series: “Iran, a reflection”.
Your piece can be in Farsi. In that case please start your blog with the words “hameh midaanand”.
You can also write a poem, if you so choose.

This is not a writing contest and none of the pieces will be judged, so I urge all iranian.com community members to consider joining the group’s effort. ---------------------------------

[1] [4] First few verses of Forough Farrokhzad’s poem, Inaugurating the Garden, from Sholeh Wolpe’s book Sin, The University of Arkansas Press, 2007, pp 67-69

The crow that soared

Above our heads and plunged

Into a vagrant cloud’s restless thoughts,

Its voice a short spear traveling horizon’s length,

Will carry the new of us to town

Everyone knows.

Everyone knows you and I

Have seen the garden through that cold,

Grim window and have plucked the apple

From that far, flirtatious branch.

Everyone fears.

Everyone fears, but you and I

Merged into one

Before the water, the mirror, and the lamp,

And were not afraid.

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Post Script, August 4, 2009, and August 22, 2009:

The following pieces were submitted in response to this invitation. I am grateful to all and I list the collection here to keep it for posterity. Thank you beautiful and thoughtful friends. This was a great exercise. We will do it again soon.

“Iran, a reflection”: Olympiad of images in our minds [5] , and Iran, a reflection: "it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness" [6] , and "Iran, a reflection: یاد آر ز شمع مرده، یاد آر [7]" by Anahid Hojjati [8]

Iran, a reflection: fear [9] , and Iran, a reflection: Will they come? [10], and Iran, a reflection: I confess [11] by Multiple Personality Disorder [12]

Iran, a reflection: Superman [13] by Melika [14]

Iran, a reflection: امید [15] by Ari Siletz [16]

Iran, a reflection: آزادی [17] by Javad Yassari [18]

این همان پس-کوچه است [19] by persian westender [20]

IRAN, A REFLECTION: The war inside me [21] by Assal_B [22]

Iran, a reflection: همه میدانند [23] by Orang Gholikhani [24]

Iran, a reflection: Names [25] by Niki Tehranchi [26]

Cartoon, Everyone knows rahbar is a caveman [27] by Omid Hast [28]

"Iran, A Reflection". How Are We Coping?" [29] by minadadvar [30]

Iran, A Reflection: Shot in the heart [31] by Iranian Reader [32]