Desperately seeking Rostam

June 20th, 2009

It’s 3:00 am Los Angeles time and I can’t go to sleep—I am worried about the possible bloodbath of this latest showdown between the Iranian regime and people; looking for a favorite verse takes me to Ferdowsi who’s poetry has been super-relevant during the past week.

rostam killing the white Demon (Dive) micheleroohani

The following is when people are asking Rostam, the most celebrated mythical hero of Iran, to save Iran—From the book of Kings, Shahnameh (composed by Ferdowsi between 980-1010 AD)

“You are our refuge, our last hope, our one
Protection now that King Kavous has gone;
Alas, Iran will be destroyed, a lair
For leopards and wild lions will flourish there,
Our land will be a wasted battleground
Where evil kings will triumph and be crowned…”


سپاه اندرایران پراکنده شد
زن و مرد و کودک همه بنده شد
دو بهره سوی زاولستان شدند
به خواهش بر پور دستان شدند
که مارا زبدها تو باشی پناه
چو گم شد سرتاج کاوس شاه


دریغ است ایران که ویران شود
کنام پلنگان و شیران شود

getty images iran june 20th

Read Roger Cohen’s great eyewitness account in NY Times (June 20th 2009); he shares with us what CNN and Youtube can’t: amazing journalism.

Cohen’s view about Iran’s youth must be devastating to the regime.

زنـانـشـان چـنـیـنـنـد ز ایـرانیــــان

چگـونه انـد گـردان و جنگ آوران

 

Posted by micheleroohani
Filed in poetry, politics
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3 Responses to “Desperately seeking Rostam”

  1. Benjamin Says:
    June 20th, 2009 at 4:41 am

    My thoughts are with those brave people putting their lives on the line, at this very minute, to defend their rights.

  2. John Waters Says:
    June 21st, 2009 at 2:19 pm

    Michele,

    Tell me I am naïve, but I think, despite the friction at present, things are getting better in Iran. Never before has your homeland been nearer democracy — democracy is really an alien notion to the peoples of the Tirgis and Euphrates — look at the history since Assyrian / Mesopotamian and Babylonian times: autocracy has ruled in one form or another since then and finally a little light, a change in in the air. we are witnessing a birth and all births entail some pain and some blood. i believe there is reason to be pensively and cautiously hopeful. Be not dismayed, dear friend. I believe, the situation will resolve itself for the better in the near future.

    ps read Le monde Diplomatique and stay away from CNN!

  3. Ramiro Arce Says:
    August 29th, 2009 at 8:51 am

    Congratulations! great blog, wonderful art.

    Parabéns, grande glob, arte muito massa.