I think about the plight of Nazanin Zhagari-Ratcliffe often. Her plight and the plight of others like her, especially mothers, weighs heavy on me. Most probably because of the years I spent working in a Women’s Prison, because I’ve seen first hand the devestation and heartache caused by the separation of mother and child, also I know what prison is and what it does to people…
If you haven’t signed the petition for Nazanin’s release, please do so, you can sign here
At the moment, I’m writing a sequence of poems about my life and experience working in a women’s prison. This is probably why I wrote this for Nazanin – it is not part of my sequence – but just a simple poem dedicated to the man merciful enough to order her release
In Praise of the Man Who Orders Nazanin Raghari-Ratcliffe’s Release
Praise be
to the man of mercy
compassion your daily breath
rising and falling
like mist above the river
at dawn
again at dusk.
Praise be
to the man who sees how
the child walks with the mother
in her footsteps
lies down with her to sleep
without her wakes
alone, questioning
self and worth.
Praise be
to the man whose vision
leads him to the garden
where the child feeds
her grandmother’s
chickens
everyday whispering
soon, soon mama
will be released.
Praise be.
