Let Me Tell You Where I've Been: New Writing by Women of the Iranian Diaspora

Because of Hands and Bread

Because of Hands and Bread H ESTHER KAMKAR Left hands out of the bus window Wrists, palms, fingers Cannot reach the loaves of bread Offered by a right hand.Where are your Bodies, your faces, your mouths? Your hand hand hand Reflected on the side of the bus like A forest in the river. Soon the bus will leave Go home now. This will be the beginning of your exile You will lose the keys to your houses You will forget the names of trees and flowers. Your hands cut off at the wrists Will float in the Great Blue River; Tree trunks, split buses. Downstream—under the Memorial Bridge Your hands will wave to other hands Hands hands hands Like your own Swollen and toy-like. This is the beginning of your exile. BECAUSE OF HANDS AND BREAD 295 ...