Sometimes, without you

I have travelled a lot,

I have crossed mountains, valleys and lakes,

To the river of suffering.

I have measured

The silent street

With my wounded fingers

To the anchorage of poetry.

Everywhere with you,

Sometimes without you.

Now standing over

A green and cold field,

I look on

You come with clouds,

And leave with winds.

Mina Dastgheib is an Iranian poet. She has published more than 14 collections so far. Her contemporary poems are very concise and enriched with strong social and political metaphors. Many of her poems convey a sad feeling; a reflection of the harsh life in a country with difficult conditions. Some of her work has received acclaim from critics and one of her collections was selected as the referee’s choice in the Seventh Festival of Persian Culture in Fars province.  

Mina used to teach Persian and English literature in high schools in Tehran and Shiraz. She is retired now and lives in her hometown of Shiraz. 

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