Sheema Kalbasi


Middle East


I dreamt that I was innocent
my naked skin
in touch with reality
and my soul was in search
to hear your - worldly - murmur: Peace

I offered you my love
wrapped in honesty
(pure to catch up with you)
shrunk with disbelief

I - asking you: Know me

With your gorgeousness
as you played with the waves
breaking one after another
taking them into your hands
touching them one after another

I wanted to be called with your name: Just

What colour was Peace?
The one you chose to paint me?
The one you narrowed into my heart and nested in my grave,
What colour was it?

I am longing in my grave
to receive the flowers
with your hand written note: rest-in-peace
(My beautiful Middle East)

Sheema Kalbasi is a human rights activist, a poet, and translator.  She is the Director of Dialogue of Nations Through Poetry in Translation, Director of Poetry of Iranian Women, Associate Director of the Other Voices International Project, and Poetry Editor for the Muse Apprentice Guild. For more on her please see www.frontlist.org.