Bänoo Zan
Testimony*
The people knew that the enemy was their enemy
but they knew that the enemy within
was more bloodthirsty
than the enemy beyond the borders
and the people prayed for the worst
because they had suffered
worse than the worst
and they were brought to believe
they had no power over their destiny
so they prayed that destiny would yield to power
and so it was that power was unleashed against power
The people cried—
We are out of power—
May those who will fall from power
see justice in the end
The people cried—
The enemies within and beyond the borders
seek power for themselves
We are still powerless, hopeless, dreamless
We no longer believe
those who held their tongues
when we were butchered by our own—
We no longer believe
in the blood-thirsty god
in whose name we were killed
And the people tried to
bring down their oppressors with bare hands
but they failed
so they prayed
and when people pray with broken hearts
their prayers shatter the gates of hell
and the rivers of blood overflow their banks
I am a poet
I pray with my people and hope with my people
I break and bleed with my people
I live and die with my people
The people cannot wake
from a waking nightmare
The enemies have robbed them of
their inheritance and dreams
their words and silence
their resistance and hope
The people cannot tell one nightmare from another
They cannot build dreams out of nightmares
They are dancing on the grave of their dreams
***
*This poem responds to American and Israeli war on Iran that started on February 28, 2026, as well as the massacre committed by the Islamic Republic against peaceful protestors on January 8 and 9, 2026, that has claimed thousands of lives.
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