Beautiful Wounds

Come, see my wounds
See my smashed skull
See the spreading fractures
See the congealed blood
See my blooded larynx
See my slashed throat
See my torn uterus
See my ankles
See my fingers
See my elbows
See my bruised breasts
Look! Look me over
See these stains
All over me, do you see?
Do you see these wounds?
Nothing but wounds

Bruises
Congealed blood
Slashed throat
Torn uterus
Do you see?
Despite all of this, I’m still young and alive
And despite my smashed skull I’m still beautiful

Translation from Persian by Ali Alizadeh and John Kinsella