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Eating Chelo at Aunt Behjat’s in Tehran Before the soldiers came for her brother I watched my aunt cooking basmati rice. When she lifted the rattling steel cover, A burst of steam ran makeup down her eyes. Under the faucet she massaged the grain Then recooked it in oil to form a skin; A pinch of saffron bled a yellow stain On the thumbnail she used to scratch her chin. While digging all the rice out of the pot, She tried a spoonful covered with sumac; On her top lip a single grain was caught Like red lipstick clumped deep in a dry crack. As she carried the plate to get the door, I watched her pale face painted in horror. 31 You are reading copyrighted material published by Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Unauthorized posting, copying, or distributing of this work except as permitted under U.S. copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. ...

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