I was in Iran at the time of the Iran Iraq war. To this date the fear that I experienced of dying at the speed of an eye blink for no apparent reason, the fear of losing all my hopes and dreams is with me , inside me and stabs me at heart when I see any other human being getting entangled in the same vicious circle for reasons beyond their will power.

Your Name

Your visage

So ugly, so scary

Frightens me to the bone:

Red, swollen with disorderly teeth.

Red as the red siren at the time of bombardment

I still hear in my ears

After all these years gone by

When I hear them talk

Of none but YOUR NAME.

Swollen as all the fear swollen in the depth of my eyes

In every single beat of my heart

When hiding under wooden tables

When escaping to the street shelters

To protect my open eyes, my beating heart

At those times where there was no word

Spoken among us but YOUR NAME.

Disorderly as your teeth

At those time of paralyzing fear of falling bombs and missiles

We did all we could to keep our eyes live

We did all we could to avoid closing of their dying eyes

At the era of regiment of none but YOUR NAME.

Oh, I am so sick of you

So tired, so fearful

Of having you again

Anywhere on this planet

That I cry loud:

Go away, Go awaaay ..

Leave us alone, you, damned WAR.

Katayoon Hadizadeh

Los Angeles, 14^th March 2003