Christmas Eve

for my daughter


If Danes' greatest sorrow was not my dark color
If my girl was a year older and my husband had lighter skin
If my kindness was not misread

Perhaps wordless in porous lines...



Look! Look! What a lovely world!
We can fly feather for arms...

Beautiful pearl, take your mamma's hand
And remember when nothing stops the cold
Shout: Where is my fishing boots?
I want to find the lighthouse.

Sheema Kalbasi