The sin

Forough Farrokhzad 

CALL TO ARMS

Only you, O Iranian woman, have remained

In bonds of wretchedness, misfortune, and cruelty;

If you want these bonds broken,

grasp the skirt of obstinacy

Do not relent because of pleasing promises,

never submit to tyranny;

become a flood of anger, hate and pain,

excise the heavy stone of cruelty.

It is your warm embracing bosom

that nurtures proud and pompous man;

it is your joyous smile that bestows

on his heart warmth and vigour.

For that person who is your creation,

to enjoy preference and superiority is shameful;

woman, take action because a world

awaits and is in tune with you.

Sleeping in a dark grave is happier for you

than this abject servitude and misfortune;

where is that proud man..? Tell him

to bow his head henceforth at your threshold.

Where it that proud mane? Tell him to get up

because a woman is here rising to battle him;

her words are the truth, in which cause

she will never shed tears out of weakness.

THE CAPTIVE

want you, yet I know that never

can I embrace you to my heart's content.

you are that clear and bright sky.

I, in this corner of the cage, am a captive bird.

from behind the cold and dark bars

directing toward you my rueful look of astonishment,

I am thinking that a hand might come

and I might suddenly spread my wings in your direction.

I am thinking that in a moment of neglect

I might fly from this silent prison,

laugh in the eyes of the man who is my jailer

and beside you begin life anew.

I am thinking these things, yet I know

that I can not, dare not leave this prison.

even if the jailer would wish it,

no breath or breeze remains for my flight.

from behind the bars, every bright morning

the look of a child smile in my face;

when I begin a song of joy,

his lips come toward me with a kiss.

O sky, if I want one day

to fly from this silent prison,

what shall I say to the weeping child's eyes:

forget about me, for I am captive bird?

I am that candle which illumines a ruins

with the burning of her heart.

If I want to choose silent darkness,

I will bring a nest to ruin.

THE SIN

I sinned a sin full of pleasure,

In an embrace which was warm and fiery.

I sinned surrounded by arms

that were hot and avenging and iron.

In that dark and silent seclusion

I looked into his secret-full eyes.

my heart impatiently shook in my breast

In response to the request of his needful eyes.

In that dark and silent seclusion,

I sat dishevelled at his side.

his lips poured passion on my lips,

I escaped from the sorrow of my crazed heart.

I whispered in his ear the tale of love:

I want you, o life of mine,

I want you, O life-giving embrace,

O crazed lover of mine, you.

desire sparked a flame in his eyes;

the red wine danced in the cup.

In the soft bed, my body

drunkenly quivered on his chest.

I sinned a sin full of pleasure,

next to a shaking, stupefied form.

o God, who knows what I did

In that dark and quiet seclusion.