Empty House
Every Wednesday since Mother’s death
Four sisters get together
In their empty childhood home
To share memories
And make a plan for the house:
Should they sell to developers
For demolition,
Or let it remain and grow
Like the sycamores in the backyard?
Today is the third sister’s turn
To prepare the lunch.
She wants to cook salmon
Which was bought before Mother passed.
But the fish slips from her hands
And slides from the kitchen to the hallway,
And from there to the parents bedroom
And from its window out to the pool
Where in summer three brothers
Used to swim
And Mother would bring a bowl of melon
To each one of them.
Majid Naficy
July 5, 2018
خانهی خالی
هر چارشنبه پس از مرگ مادر
چار خواهر گردهم میآیند
در خانهی خالیِ کودکیشان
تا از یادها بگویند
و برای خانه طرحی بریزند:
آیا باید آنرا بفروشند
تا بسازوبفروشی درهمش بکوبد
یا بگذارند چون چنارهای حیاط
همچنان بماند و ببالد؟
امروز نوبتِ خواهر سومست
تا نهاری آماده کند.
او میخواهد ماهی آزادی را بپزد
که پیش از مرگ مادر خریدهاند.
اما ماهی از دستش میسرد
و از آشپزخانه به سرسرا میلغزد
و از آنجا به خوابگاهِ مادروپدر
و از پنجرهاش به حوض آب
جایی که تابستانها سه برادر
در آن شنا میکردند
و مادر برای هر یک
کاسهای هندوانه میآورد.
مجید نفیسی
پنجم ژوئیه دوهزاروهجده
M. Simms:
"Great poem, Majid! I’ve posted it to appear later.
Keep writing!
M."
from Fred Dewey:
"wonderful poem, majid. glad to see you really testing the boundaries!!!!
xx fred"
from Sonya Sabanac:
"Nice and sad. Empty House resonate with ne so much for various reason."
from Moin Heydari:
"Beautiful.
Thank you Majid"
from Naomi Shihab Nye:
"Fabulous, fabulous, magical poem!"
from Soraya Pursoltani:
"Thanks this was very touching."
from A. Pero:
"I like this one, Majid. Love, Alice Pero"
from Manouchehr Gorguinpour:
"Dear Majid,
It's lovely , and sad , and it reminds me my family house located around 60 kilometers south of Shiraz at the foot of a mountain.
Don't stop writing, and keep sharing your poems with me , and others .
Cheers,"
from Esther Kamkar:
"Dear Majid,
What a beautiful poem!
Best,
Esther"
from Firoozeh Khatibi:
"Very nice. Loved it."