Poetry Lover

Let's have some lighter Mana...

"We have been injured too many times
Enough to have a first aid kit
With bandages in our kitchen
And we have encountered prophets
Enough times to claim our own prophecy
You and I are blood related
You turn your cuts into poetry
And I dress my soul with a bandage
What difference does it make
To know how many cuts are engraved in a book?
An injury is not a sign

Trust me:
My share from the vein has forever been the knife
But it never was my intention
For your poetry to bleed because of me
This poem that I dedicate to you
Is one written by a wounded woman

To which I add:
Bind up your injuries
And publish those
Before they become some old news."

~ Mana Aghaee is among the most prolific and accomplished poets of the Iranian diaspora. Her poetry is sincere and easy to understand. Mana's language is simple and unadorned and yet extremely imaginative. She doesn't attempt to conceal her vulnerabilities through complicated imagery or complex concepts -- her poetry is true to itself.

"For me, poetry is like a siren raiding in matters of urgency. Poetry is a friend, a foe, a potent poison, and an intense tranquilizer alleviating my pain. Poetry is a lover who can commit an abrupt act of betrayal. I admit that poetry is a lover whom I love only for myself."