Debate Only After the Death of Shah!

        By Majid Naficy

Do you remember, my dear comrade,
The bitter story of our epoch?
It was the time of happiness
The spring of liberty in our revolution.
The market of debates was hot
Over the issue of “disarmament”
On every crossroad
Between home and university.
Suddenly the Party of God arrived, chanting:
Debate only after the death of Shah!

Head scarf or head blow!
That was the edict of the leader.
So, expressions were suppressed
Neighborhoods became masculine.
The women protested
But our leftists did not support them,
Especially the non-independent left
Who was infatuated with this slogan:
The only enemy is America
Debate only after the death of Shah!

Ayandegan Newspaper was closed
And pens were broken.
Intolerance and hatred
Plagued our nation.
Reason lost credibility
And conformity became standard.
Freedom-seekers joined together 
And blocked the streets.
The Party of God threw rocks, shouting:
Debate only after the death of Shah!

What happened in our society
First took place within us.
For the sake of unity
We killed the thought of pluralism.
On the pretext of fighting enemies
We aimed at friends.
Dissenters were terrorized
And freedom was suppressed
Along with these promises:
Debate only after the death of Shah!

        January 22, 1987

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مجید نفیسی

یادت میاد رفیق جان
قصه‌ی تلخ دوران؟
هنگامه‌ی شادی بود
بهار آزادی بود
بازار بحث به راه بود
سر "خلع سلاح" بود
گوشه‌ی هر چهارراه
از خانه تا دانشگاه
ناگه رسید حزب‌الله:
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روسری یا توسری
حکم داد رهبری
سرکوب شد احساسات
مردانه شد محلات
با اعتراض زنها
همره نشد چپ ما
خاصه چپ وابسته
به این شعار دلبسته:
دشمن فقط آمریکا
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"آیندگان" را بستند
قلمها را شکستند
نابردباری و نفرت
افتاد بجان ملت
اندیشه, ناروا شد
تقلید, رهنما شد
آزادگان پیوستند
خیابانها به‌بستند
سنگ‌پران حزب‌الله:
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آنچه در اجتماع شد
اول میان ما شد
از بهر حفظ وحدت
کشتیم فکر کثرت
دوست, نشانه کردیم
دشمن, بهانه کردیم
مخالف, مرعوب شد
آزادی, سرکوب شد
همراه این وعده‌ها:
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بیست‌و‌دوم ژانویه هزار‌و‌نهصد‌و‌هشتاد‌و‌هفت