Mahnaz Badihian Oba

We had to throw those planted grains
In any river or running water we could see
To have old, sad roots taken away from us

Is my name more difficult than Deoxyribonucleic acid?

Finally I only can be a woman
I listen to my tender skin, to the novel in my heart
And a poem in my eyes
To my tired legs and thinning hair
………..

They scared us with blood and death everyday
What fear?
We see blood and killing and terror
In our media everyday enough that
………….

Oh, Pure Golden Eastern Lady
Enough with you going through inequality,
Who said I am more than you?
Who said you are less than me?
You are the shame of my story, my silence.

Eastern Lady sung by Ebi Translated by Dr. Mahnaz Badihian
…….

Performers (as of September 10) Terry Adams, Mahnaz Badihian, Virginia Barrett, David Beckman, Ava Bird, Buford Buntin, Gaetana Caldwell-Smith, Marie Chang, Riki Chen

We are all held captive under horizon
under the sharp teeth of life
under its heavy jaw
and under its tyranny.

3300 Mission Street at 29th, San Francisco Sept.6th
Katherine Hastings, Tamam Kahn, Carolyn Losee,

Without doubt, both Shamloo and Neruda will remain part of world poetry, although for the world to know more about Shamloo, more and better translations of his work are needed which will materialize in the years to come, hopefully.

My mother would never forget to put open-paged Hafiz on her chosen ghazal, while reciting the lines.
………..

THE PEOPLE SPEAK!!
celebrate the uprising people of
Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen & Palestine

Friday, February 25, 7pm, ArtInternationale 963 Pacific, San Francisco
…….

may be the words are devoid of value