by Majid Naficy

in memory of Neda and her friends (1)

Like the sprouts of wheat

Which must grow green,

The marchers turn green. (2)

They have green ballots in their hands

And red passion in their veins,

Oblivious to death

Who is wearing a dirty turban

And a long dark robe.

“This land belongs to us

Not to the men in turbans

Or any supreme leader,

And the proof is in our votes.”

The marchers turn green

With a telling silence in their lips

And an echo of freedom in their ears.

They are fearless of death

Who is wearing a paper helmet

And a wooden dagger.

“This land belongs to us

Not to the men with daggers,

And the wound of a sword

Cannot sever our united hands

From the skirt of our motherland.”

The marchers turn green

With the branches of cypress in their hands

And a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

The young Rakhsh horses neigh (3)

And immortal Symorgh flies (4)

From mount Alborz toward them.

“This land belongs to us

And we’ll take it back

Not with bullets or grenades

But by counting our ballots.”

June, 25, 2009

1. Neda Agha-Soltan was a student of philosophy killed by the government forces on a mass demonstration against the rigged presidential election in Tehran on June 20, 2009. Her first name means “call” or “echo” referred to in this poem as “an echo of freedom” in the second stanza.

2. Green is the color of the June uprising against the rigged election and represents the non-violent nature of this movement.

3. Rakhsh is the horse of the mythological Iranian, hero, Rostam.

4. Symorgh is the name of a mythological bird helping Rostam in some of his battles. She raises Rostam’s father in Mt. Alborz.

Friends have said she was not political, but she was young and proud of her country and its traditions.  When the outcome of the election was announced as a victory for Ahmadinejad, many young Iranians poured forth to express their fierce sense of injustice about the result.

Neda was only one of thousands.  She was barely a bystander who had just arrived near the scene of a large gathering.  She died almost immediately after getting out of her car–gunshot to the chest.

Neda will always represent the JUNE 20 REVOLUTION in Iran.

Though it may have lasted little more than a day, it yielded up a sacrifice for the world–the image and the Death of Neda Agha-Soltan.

Before there was a death–etched in blood, sweat, and tears–there were twenty-seven years of a very nice life and much promise for the future.

This is a memorial to the LIFE of Neda Agha-Soltan ::Rest in Peace::

A non-graphic still frame of Neda who has just been fatally wounded; she is attended by her music teacher and a bystander as she bleeds out onto the beloved land of her Iran.

a young Iranian American music student peforms “Colors of the Wind”

ONE creation: ONE in many forms: ONE heart like the pulse of a million insects in a night chorus…who knows this now?
i hear you in the low rumble of trucks across a great bridge, in the doppler of sirens. ONE.
i am afraid of nothing but a world without people like you.

Etta B Dickerson *coexist*

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In the Land of Hafiz

“If you have had enough of this world and all its violence,
Then take up the cup; and from the inside
let this liquid love make peace.”
-Hafiz

Single bullet through the heart.
Beautiful rose shatters.
Bloodied petals scatter.
Cries of horror rattle the heavens.
Spirit winds answer the Calling.
Carry her fragrance to the world.

O Hafiz, ignorant fundamentalist fanatics,
Those who trampled your garden,
Burned your poetry,
Threatened your life,
Still rule your land
With false piety and guns.

O Hafiz,
Splendid roses thrive
On wine of the Beloved,
But the tyrants have decreed
Fragrances illegal,
And have sent their goons
To assassinate love.

(© Assef Al-Jundi)

http://www.facebook.com/ettaB

To My Iranian Friend RE: Torment in Iran and elsewhere…
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Today at 7:03pm | Edit Note | Delete
MY MESSAGE TO WHOMEVER, RE **MY IRANIAN FRIEND**–
if **MY FRIEND** is hurt i will say before the ONE who is author of us all that she is a great soul and a heart full of nothing but joy and love for people…and i would never miss a chance to get even, so if you don’t love **MY FRIEND** enough to share the compassion in my words, maybe you will hear my vow–may the God of us ALL be my Helper, and may the system speaking fear hear me in the wilderness of my own willingess.
i am afraid of nothing but a world without people like her.
understood???
**NO MORE LAMBS**

This comment has been posted relevant to remarks found in facebook today, 23 JUNE 2009.
They are a response from ME PERSONALLY and do not represent any instruction or permission nor association with any entity except humanity–my authority same as that which gives angel wings to any who will ride the pain AND the glory with others.

**MY FRIEND** name witheld

Regardless of whether my friend is in real danger, or if in fact her “identity” has been hijacked to provoke, i cannot tell, but the footage that i see of the young people bleeding out in the streets, sure of themselves but respectful and honoring their history and common love as ONE PEOPLE who may have found a new voice in their ancient Voice…please to the Clerics of Iran…stop the insanity of torture or the threat of it; have you not realized how it has been a shame to US ?? *love* and i mean WELL in every word i say.
thank YOU.

Etta B Dickerson at 7:09pm June 23
**i am afraid of nothing but a world without people like her**

(c) Etta B Dickerson, 2009 ~~repost w/ attribution if possible~~ THIS POST WAS ORIGINATED BY ME ON FACEBOOK AND IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH NOR DOES IT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF ANY COMMERCIAL OR OTHER ENTITY; ~~FAIR USE~~*coexist*

Let Us Be Truly Linked

http://coexistez.wordpress.com/let-us-be-truly-linked/

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facebook must not allow hate groups and it’s up to us to be nice!

If one hates something, anything–then that is a personal issue…if you are secular or insular or exclusive then be that way, be stupid and be proud! however, to create “causes” to promote hatred or exclusion or otherwise force categories and hatred into one…well, that is the definition of HATE group, and hey, in the US we don’t even allow HATE CRIME…it has a special definition and aggressive prosecution of small time events like burning crosses. i won’t allow it and i celebrate saying so. ~etta

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thank you for your patience. ~~