Three poems by Mahnaz Badihian Translated to German by Sofie Morin/ For Mahsa Amini/We are Used to It/ I Will Be Again

We Are Used to it
by Mahnaz Badihian

We’re accustomed to being alone in the cocoon.
Move our anger and suffering.
To yesterday, today, and tomorrow
To reduce the heavy rainfall.
 
You and I are the same.
We picked up this rocky road.
We were the ones who turned a blind eye,
On our wounded leg.
It was we who put a burden on our hearts.
A heart that rots and breaks
 
We,
you and me
We all built this rocky road together.
Now it’s time to rise hand in hand.
To build a smooth road!
 

2
Es ist unser Brauch

Wir sind es gewohnt, allein zu bleiben im Kokon.
Unseren Zorn und unser Leid zu verschieben
Auf gestern, heute und morgen
Um das Gewicht des Regenfalls zu mindern.

Du und ich sind uns gleich.
Wir haben Steine aufgehoben, für diesen steinigen Pfad.
Wir waren es, die unsere Augen verschlossen haben
Vor unseren verwundeten Gliedmaßen.
Wir waren es, die Bänder um unsere Herzen gelegt haben.
Ein Herz, das rostete und brach.

Wir
Du und ich
Wir alle haben diesen steinigen Pfad zusammengetragen.

Es ist an der Zeit jetzt, aufzustehen, Hand in Hand.
Auf dass wir ihn gangbar machen, diesen steinreichen Weg!

nach / following „We Are Used to it/ عادت کرده ایم/ “ by Mahnaz Badihian, übertragen
von / translated by Sofie Morin

3
I Will be again 
by Mahnaz Badihian
I,m a reborn woman.
I never leave my roots.
Silence does not turn me off.
I’ll spark
from the depths of the ashes.
I’ll draw flames
from the end of the blackout.
I’ve never died of stoning
from rape.
Of the violence
in the dungeons of history.
From the living graves.
I’m back;
I bloomed again.
Towards the light

Ich werde wieder sein
Ich bin eine wiedergeborene Frau.
Ich werde meine Wurzeln nie aufgeben.
Stille bringt mich davon nicht ab.
Ich werde funkeln
aus den Tiefen der Asche.
Ich werde Flammen entfachen
vom Rand der Verdunkelung.
Ich bin an keiner Steinigung je gestorben
an keiner Vergewaltigung.
An keiner Brutalität
in den Kerkern der Geschichte.
Nicht lebendig begraben.
Ich bin wiedergekommen;
Ich bin erneut aufgeblüht.
Lichtwärts

nach / following “I’ll be again.” by Mahnaz Badihian,
übertragen von / translated by Sofie Morin

4
For Mahsa Amini
by Mahnaz Badihian
Beloved Mahsa, your blood turned to red puppies
in our heart
You landed on the distant stars.

You were looking for a convoy of heroes in your short life.
You're gone,
and the heart of a nation became your cradle
Asking ourselves where we were
When the hands of barbarians snatched you
Where were we when the enemy
touched your long tresses
Where were we when you were screaming

Now you are gone and
each strand of your hair became a freedom flag.

How can one see your red blood
seeping through your ears
And not tie it to the eternity of the roses?
But you haven’t left
Your name is magic of endurance.
You are the beginning, and criminals are the end!
You’re cascading waterfall
in the heart of the Kurdistan mountains.

And you’re roaring cypress.
On the streets of the motherland
Mahsa, daughter of Iran,
your innocent name is eternal!

5
For Mahsa Amini
by Mahnaz Badihian
Geliebte Mahsa, dein Blut hat sich gewandelt,
rote Welpen in unseren Herzen
Auf fernen Sternen bist du nun gelandet.

Suchtest in deinem kurzen Leben einen heroischen Geleitzug.
Du bist fort,
und jetzt ist der Pulsschlag der Nation deine Wiege
Wir fragen uns, wo wir waren,
als die Grobheit der Barbaren dich fasste
Wo wir waren, als der Feind
Hand an deine langen Locken legte
Wo wir waren, als du schriest

Jetzt bist du fort und
jede Strähne deines Haars ist eine Fahne der Freiheit.

Wie kann man das rote Blut sehen,
das aus deinen Ohren rinnt,
ohne sie darin zu erkennen, die Ewigkeit der Rosen?
Du bist nicht fort,
dein Name wirkt den Zauber der Ausdauer.
Du bist der Beginn, und Verbrecher sind am Ende!
Ein kaskadierender Wasserfall bist du,
im Herzen der Berge Kurdistans.

Und die wild rauschende Zypresse bist du.
Auf den Straßen des Mutterlandes
Mahsa, Tochter des Iran,
dein unschuldiger Name ist ewig!

nach / following “For Mahsa Amini” by Mahnaz Badihian,
übertragen von / translated by Sofie Morin

Mahnaz Badihian is an Iranian/American Poet, painter, and translator whose work has been
published in several languages worldwide. Mahnaz runs the Literary magazine MahMag.org
to bring the world’s poetry together. She finished translating a book called; Spalding Arise;
with Jack Hirschman, published in San Francisco in 2014. She received her MFA in poetry
from Pacific University. Her latest poetry collection," Raven of Isfahan," was Published in
2019. She edited 300 pages of Covid, Anthology Art, and poetry from around the world in
2020. She is a member of the San Francisco RPB (Revolutionary Poet Brigade). In 2018,
Mahnaz had three days of an art exhibition in San Francisco. Her new collection of poems,"
Ask the Wind. She was nominated for Pushcart by Vagabond in 2022. Mahnaz traveled to
many countries for poetry events, including Kerala, Chile, Cuba, Italy, England, Bolivia,
Peru, and more.

Dr. Mahnaz Badihian, at the time a practicing dentist, published poet, and mother, conceived
of the idea for an online Persian language literary magazine in 1999 to connect
the cultures of the world. The original site was created with the technical help of Dr. Ali
Rezai, who was a computer expert before many of us had heard the word ‘computer’ and was
a practicing medical doctor and professor of Nuclear Radiology at the University of Iowa.
The original online magazine was called World Poetry Web,
Since the creation of the first site, MahMag has expanded and changed in response to readers
and technology while continuing to promote the original values established by Dr. Badihian:
 Open borders between peoples of all cultures and languages through the proliferation
of the arts and humanities
 Freedom of individuals to express their unique voices and perspectives
 Giving voice to emerging writers, thinkers, and artists
 Literature as a tool for education
The current version of MahMag was created in 2004 with expanded sections and languages, including English, Italian, and Spanish, in addition to the original Persian. Maharaj
is considered the most extensive literary magazine online on Persian literature, with
over 50,000 unique visitors a month. It is also the most censored academic website in Iran, which means Iranians are eager to read this site, and we are willing to continue adding new and
exciting submissions. To view the most recent archives, visit https://mahmag.org/english/.

….

Sofie Morin (pseudonym), born in Vienna in 1972, studied at several faculties at the university, finally graduating in biology and philosophy. To expose herself to foreignness, she spent seven years in the French-speaking world until it was familiar enough. She loves playing around with different languages and perspectives. She has lived with her children for almost years in the hills near Heidelberg, where she works and writes. About 90 of her texts have been published in literary journals and anthologies. Recently, her 9th nomination earned her her first literary award (Wort a Wort: Berührung “- word to word: touches). In 2022 her joint book of poetic dialogues with Dorina Marlen Heller has published: “Schwestern in Vers. Zwiesprachen Zwischen Morgen und Fraulein.” (sisters in verse – between morning and being a woman). 

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