Majid Naficy: Painters

They have erected scaffolds by the bay

And are painting the high towers of power lines.

The seagulls circle over their heads

Sobbing for their lost lookouts.

I count. There are eight men

Working on the scaffolds

Talking to each other, two by two.

They don’t know that, for a while,

I worked for Master Rahim

Painting the railings of a rooftop

On Zafar Street in Tehran.

Everything looks different up there.

Life and death become light

And camaraderie takes a solid color.

Copyright 2019 Majid Naficy

Majid Naficy is the author of many books in Persian and in English including Father & Son (Red Hen). He lives in Los Angeles, California.

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