“after work, come right home,”
My old man and ma told me
“this evening we are going out to ask for so-and-so’s daughter’s hand for you.”
I consulted my down there and the response was: Nope
“when you’re done with your tour of duty,
We’ll take your hand and take you along to ask for your cousin’s hand..”
My pop and mom said to me
I consulted my down there and the response was: Nope
“select one from the bunch of pretty girls to go to college with,”
Said my mom and my dad, “one that comes from a good family.”
I consulted my down there and the response was: Nope
Mommy and daddy said to me,
“There are so many gorgeous girls out there in the neighborhood, on the streets, at your parties.
Pick one”
I consulted my down there and the response was: Nope
Mommy and daddy said,
Now that you’re going abroad
find a beautiful girl there
so we can have a blue-eyed grandchild, will you?”
I consulted my down there and the response was: Nope
My fathers and my mothers
Have been breeding canaries with ravens
I consulted my down there and the response was, no, not I
I am one painted raven whom god has sold to my parents,
rather expensive
When I looked hard and long at all the painteds I found
so lonely am I among all the fathers and mothers
–
Hamseresht
2007
Translated by Sina Gillani
To be published in a collection of Farsi Gay Poetry