on the twentieth of April last
Shelly left Belgium for good
she who had cared for both
you, Papatchi and Mamica
our adored parents
for the last thirty three years

and now you rest in peace,
united, in a Flemish village

on the twentieth of April last
I slept till late in the morning
in a cosy hotel room at
the heart of Deauville, where
the American Film Festival
holds its annual Award Ceremony

it was the first time, Mamica
since youʼve left us
that I saw you clearly
walking in front of me
from the window to the door
you were in your late thirties
lovely as ever, wearing
a blouse and a mid-length skirt
youʼve always had that
sober elegance any model
would have pined for
you were half my age, oh God
indeed I was in love with you
would that be called
emotional incest?
what an ugly word for
such a pure sentiment
yet Iʼve heard that before
said of the two of us
by malignant people

during my first divorce

for a few seconds I just saw your profile
but then, before leaving the room
you turned towards me with those
luminous green-grey eyes of yours
and stretched your arms
in a pleading gesture
then you suddenly disappeared
that is when I woke up, suffocating

I spent the whole day
tottering in the quaint streets of Deauville
like a drunkard, unable to focus
on either the strollers or my surroundings

Then I thought I realized what
you were trying to tell me, Mamica
«Now all three of our children
have left this country, and us with it
ADIEU, ADIOS, FAREWELL»

you have eternity for you
my beloved parents
enjoy that infinite time
together and with all our
dear ones, family and friends
We shall never leave you, queridos
wherever we will be moving to
Bless your souls and us too

ADIEU, ADIOS, FAREWELL
for Sam Vaseghi

on the twentieth of April last
Shelly left Belgium for good
she who had cared for both
you, Papatchi and Mamica
our adored parents
for the last thirty three years

and now you rest in peace,
united, in a Flemish village

on the twentieth of April last
I slept till late in the morning
in a cosy hotel room at
the heart of Deauville, where
the American Film Festival
holds its annual Award Ceremony

it was the first time, Mamica
since youʼve left us
that I saw you clearly
walking in front of me
from the window to the door
you were in your late thirties
lovely as ever, wearing
a blouse and a mid-length skirt
youʼve always had that
sober elegance any model
would have pined for
you were half my age, oh God
indeed I was in love with you
would that be called
emotional incest?what an ugly word for
such pure sentiment
yet Iʼve heard that before
said of the two of us
by malignant people
during my first divorce

for a few seconds I just saw your profile
but then, before leaving the room
you turned towards me with those
luminous green-grey eyes of yours
and stretched your arms
in a pleading gesture
then you suddenly disappeared
that is when I woke up, suffocating

I spent the whole day
tottering in the quaint streets of Deauville
like a drunkard, unable to focus
on either the strollers or my surroundings

Then I thought I realized what
you were trying to tell me, Mamica
«Now all three of our children
have left this country, and us with it
ADIEU, ADIOS & FAREWELL»

you have eternity for you
my beloved parents
enjoy that infinite time
together and with all our
dear ones, family and friends
We shall never leave you, queridos
wherever we will be moving to
Bless your souls and us too