Independence, Mossadegh, drowned in blood
and the sadness. And the sadness. “Peoples’ revolt
against the patriot,” the “populist” – doesn’t matter
what country, what hour, what name – the deaths don’t matter –
“coups d’Etat,” “ethnic conflicts” – unrecorded
atrocities, stories told and repeated,
warped ad nauseam. Impersonal, inhuman.
Cries in any and all tongues.

Translation by Penny Allen, published in Saint Ann’s Review, winter / spring 2008.

French.
Italian translated by Andrea Inglese.