“You do not have to be beautiful.
You do not even have to be intelligent.
All you have to do is practice kindness,
for that is our purpose.”

Kamand Kojouri

“O weary angels,
don’t look at me with those eyes.
If that is your state
then what of our cries?
What can I tell you of goodness
that you don’t already know?
What can I tell you of faith,
of hope and love
that you yourselves bestow?
O angels,
don’t pluck another feather,
this isn’t the sky,
it’s just the weather.
Please, angels, try.
We are one all together.
Look up and listen,
I’ll say it once and then put down my pen:
We are sorry for our ignorance
and even though we are worldly,
it might happen again.
We are sorry for your weariness
and even though you aren’t worldly,
we are no more than human.”

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

“They took my books
because my message was love.
Then they took my pen
because my words were love.
They took my voice
because my speech was love.
And soon, they’ll take me too
so nothing remains.
But they don’t know when I’m gone
my love will stay.”

Kamand Kojouri

“Let us go where skins are rainbows,
enriched by every hue.

Where genders are clouds,
weightless and formless through.

Let us go where creeds are stars,
illuminating our view.

Where men and women are one,
and the in-betweens are true.

Let us go where I am free to love,
for I can’t stop loving you.”

Kamand Kojouri