The selfhood of smile by Nima Youshij

Translated by Khashayar Mohammadi

through my neighbour’s window peeks
-or through the unmanifest cracked wall of my house perhaps-
from whom or whence been speaking
the mystery-weaver of an inward smile such:

that I am here, sitting
from that cold, sour-breathing heart of overcast skies:
	aghast 		from your poisonous breath

...the heart retreats to a quiet corner

the gloom of your poisonous breath (then)
has carried along
	from everywhere		each side
that you are hidden from humanfolk
that I am present

your virtues	visible in words
your virtues	supervise the goings on
		along the chill of these moments

and 
When heat has irked from your character
and has journeyed to weather systems far
from your paralytic love of futility

through all warm moments

When you hand-walk along walls
as if blind	as if afloat
as if disabled	bedridden
rubbing foreheads upon earth
your aimless vision upon the throne
of dirt-crusted stone

When on your frowning profile
a flickering ember morphs
into an ashen wall

When a cold fistful of ash
has burnt your face whole

When a clay vessel
as if a gem
in the lone dark well
that is the ball of your eyes
-not a breath upon a brilliant jewel...-
it opens your eyes

When the dead drool
gushing, a cataract of false tears from your eyes
and onto a face		memorable 
and from the dent of your teeth
-as if the serrated blade of an Ifrit-
bursts forth laughter null and void

upon all those moments
bitter or not
my vision gallops
four-horse-drawn

whether you’re occupied with yourself
				or others
whether you decrease the load bearing on yourself
or add to the load bearing on others

I am watchful 
of your vices and virtues
unwary of your cold interest in me
the futile probe of people 
doesn’t burn any bridges for me

no wonder I’m broken
no wonder I’ve painted a broken picture
upon broken material
however bound to the chain I cast

if I sit bitterly upon pursed lips
if I add to your regret	or solve a grievance perhaps
I
I 		introverted		heartbroken
in a smile		in bitter, sorrowful days

Nimā Yushij (Persian: نیما یوشیج‎) (11 November 1897 – 4 January 1960), also called Nimā (نیما), born Ali Esfandiāri (علی اسفندیاری), was an Iranian poet. He is famous for his style of poetry which he popularized, called she’r-e now (شعر نو, lit. “new poetry”), also known as She’r-e Nimaa’i (شعر نیمایی, lit “Nima poetry”) in his honour after his death. He is considered as the father of modern Persian poetry.

Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi (He/They) is a queer, Iranian born, Toronto-based Poet, Writer and Translator. They are the winner of the Vallum Poetry Prize 2021 and author of four poetry Chapbooks. Their debut poetry collection “Me, You, Then Snow” is out with Gordon Hill Press.

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