حسینا* – شعری از مجید نفیسی

Pedaling his bicycle
And humming the song of threshermen:
“Go, go, tired mule!
Go, go, tongue-tied beast!”

“Hosseina! My little village boy!
Where do you come from?”
“I come from the dry river of Poodeh, my nephew!
My gift is a handful of earth.”
“Where do you want to go, dear uncle?”
“To Moftabad in Isfahan
For welding the steel of the future.”

Riding his Honda motorcycle
And humming the song of threshermen:
“Go, go until I let you free
And dress you in velvet pants.”

“Hosseina! My railroad boy!
Where do you come from?”
“I come from the cold summit of Sabalan, my uncle!
My gift is a handful of snow.”
“Where do you want to go, my nephew?”
“To Shadabad in Tehran
For turning the steel of the future.”

One pushes the bike pedal
And the other presses the motorcycle’s accelerator handle
And both humming the song of threshermen:
“This side of your mane has flowers
That side of your mane has flowers
The middle of your mane has pearls.”

Where do you come from
Where do you want to go
Oh forgers of the steel of the future?
Don’t you hear the sound of shepherds’ reed
Who are singing for you?
“Hosseina! The path is long, don’t stay!
Deceit is plenty, don’t stay!
Two daggers are stained with poisons
For the dinner of the guest, don’t stay!”

But the wind does not let them hear
The sound of the reed.
One pushes the bike’s pedal
The other presses the motorcycle’s accelerator handle
And turn around the blood mill
Humming the song of threshermen:
“Go, go, tired mule!
Go, go, tongue-tied beast!
Go, go, tired mule!
Go, go, tongue-tied beast!”

        January 17, 1986