“Does God know
the number of kisses
before we fall in love?
Yesterday, I was nobody
and I believed myself important.
Today,
I feel my worth
in you.
You, with your emerald eyes and ebony hair,
even your heartbeat is beautiful.
You, who is my greatest joy,
all other concerns vanish in your presence.
You swallow time
and consume space,
inspiring all my passion
with a single embrace.
I love your existence.”Kamand Kojouri
“Fell in love first,
fell in love quickly—like I was pushed.
Fell in love next,
fell in love slowly—like I was strolling.
Falling in love now
and feeling crazy.
Thinking of closing my eyes
and jumping.”Kamand Kojouri
“I’ll forget me.
You forget you.
We can be one
together,
happily.”Kamand Kojouri
“Eyes and ears are two.
Lungs and kidneys, too.
I wonder then
why we’re born with one
heart that skips a beat when hay is here,
and beats quickly when you are near.
One heart that cracks when you are far,
lie to me and leave a scar.
I wonder then
why we’re born with one
heart that’s easily broken.
Was I supposed to find you then?
So your heart would make one
plus one is
two
for me
and two for you.”Kamand Kojouri
“O woman,
father says natural is beautiful
so why do you redden your cheeks
and blacken your eyes?
Why do you remove the hair on your legs
and draw them into your brows?
Why do you hold your breath
lest your stomach show
and hold your fart
lest they know
that you’re a human? O woman,
father says natural is beautiful
so why do you straighten your hair
to curl it next
and pretend to orgasm
so they think you enjoyed the sex?
Why do you dumb yourself down
and push up your breasts?
Why do you smile when you’re told to
and love when you don’t want to?
When? When
will you stop, woman?
Father says natural is beautiful
but that is doubtful
for what does father know
he’s only a fellow.”Kamand Kojouri
“Retrospect: the sweetener of life.”
Kamand Kojouri
“Prejudice is an act of violence.”
Kamand Kojouri
“Life is short; love is longer.”
Kamand Kojouri
“I remember our childhood days
when life was easy
and math problems hard.
Mom would help us with our homework
and dad was not at home
but at work.
After our chores,
we’d go to the old fort museum
with clips in our hair and pure joy in our hearts.
You, sister, wore the bangles
that
you, brother, got as a prize from the Dentist.
“Why the bangles?” the Dentist asked,
surprised,
for boys picked the stickers of cars instead.
“They’re for my sisters,” you said.
Mom would treat us to a bottle of Coke,
a few sips each. Then,
we’d buy the sweet smelling bread
from the same white van
and hand in hand,
we’d walk to our small flat
above the restaurant.
I remember our childhood days.
Do you remember them too?”Kamand Kojouri
“All you need to get by in this world is the memory of love”
Kamand Kojouri
