“Let love be your feature”

Mandela
My eternal man
Mandela
My eternal man

The scent of your breath
The scent of freedom
O, Mandela
Your eyes have the color of freedom
O, Mandela

The scent of your breath
The scent of freedom
O, Mandela
My eternal man

Your hand is the flag of freedom
Freedom
Freedom
O, flower,  your name is the symbol of freedom

Tulips
Meadow saffrons
Seek your scent
And red poppies ask you:
“Where is the freedom”
The beloved Mandela

Our eternal man
Our eternal man

I’m with you
O, you, flower of freedom

I’m with you
O, flower ….O, Mandela
Mandela
Our eternal man
Mandela
Our eternal man

I’m with you
O, you, flower of freedom
I’m with you
O, flower ….O, Mandela
Our eternal man

Poet: Pezhman Mosleh
Translator: Lida Kavoosi

The king died today.
It stopped the world in its tracks.
The news spread like a forest fire.
We mourned as we searched for comfort found in quotes.
We had to draw a lesson from his life.

Jailed, tormented and finally freed,
He rose to the height of king.
All the while, fist clinched.
A symbol held in the air for all to see.
Democratically elected, he knew man was meant to be free.

We often talk of things needing to be done.
He was in the business of doing.
From here, we can draw inspiration.
Here, his light shines on us.
We are to be kings.
Kings of our own destiny.
Gods of the possible.

Joy to our lives such                           Hope, supernal that
who grace this world of darkness    rejects hatred, they call forth
once in an aeon.                                  the soul and tend love;

Gripped in sadness we                      Purgatory cells
who have lost a lighted lamp     -     imprisoning the human
this mourning season;                       spirit for small gain;

you were just one man.
jailed for infinity.
you never bent.
stronger than steel.

oppressed from day one.
segregated by your skin.
you were never broken.
stronger than steel.

the odds were against you.
against your entire race.
your faith never wavered.
stronger than steel.

i walked where you laid.
where you eat, where you ran.
your land gave me strength.
stronger than steel.

your love was so unending.
your hate, no where to be found.
you saved a who nation.
stronger than steel.

Madiba. Madiba.
Nelson Mandela
the original superman.
Stronger then Steel.