Salamander—Mahnaz Badihian

And we never asked what
The Salamander said for survival
——-
Salamander

I didn’t exist
When the mountains, plains and books
were here
And that proud evergreen which
Will never bow for you

Salamanders

I didn’t exist
When the mountains, plains and books
Were here
And that proud evergreen which
Will never bow for you
You did not exist
When Zayandeh Rud
Was whispering the rhythms of sand
In the ears of poplar trees
Under Isfahan’s sunrise
We did not exist
When the salamanders
Were reviewing a new plan
For their eternity in this world
Now you and I
Are here
And they are stoning us
In the streets of patience
With freedom verses in our head
We are here
And they are penetrating
The verses of humiliation
And death in our heads
We are here
And they are choking
The human right rhythm
In their bloody feast
We are here my Beloved
And every day
The bodies of Evergreens
And Poplar trees pile up
In the Tigris River
And we never asked what
The Salamander said for survival