Read Poem: I Imagined, by Marjan Riahi

Translated to English by Amir Marashi

I imagined when I grew up

All the wars in the world would have come to an end

I imagined when I grew up

Children would no longer become orphans

Women would no longer become widows

Houses would no longer be destroyed

I imagined in adulthood

I would face a world without any blemish or fault

When you were not here

I saw a picture of frightened children

And the feverish crying of a child

Made a lasting mark

On the face of love

And the image of a desire to play a childish game

Cried on the face of a kite high up

Despite all that

Never say love has become estranged

I too will never say

Although it is sometimes destroyed

Even before it is built

Sometimes it is lost

Even before it is found

But

To whatever extent is necessary I shall secretly

Water this seedling which has grown from blood

With affection

Till its flowers become white

No one has yet

Banned people from having loving wishes

No one has yet

Learnt to raid my dreams and your dreams

It is enough that sometimes

You should slowly look behind you

It is enough that sometimes

You should see the unseen look

Behind you

Now that we have forgotten our childhood

The novelty of a child’s speech

Makes us wonder

Now that we deny our natural intelligence

We find criticism in the logic of every song

Now for the purification of our souls we give to charity

And the tradition of playing ball without cheating

Is left to nostalgia

I must call you

And throw a ball at you

The conversations about love will never end

The world

Continues in this way

For my today I shall not consider

Every little event

As insignificant

I shall take seriously every opportunity

To create a smile

For my today