Take This Pomegranate:
This imperfect, crimson, sometimes broken object…
This rough fruit of beauty and splendor
It stains me.
With it I am never the same.
It mirrors my soul.
It holds that mirror in its hands and places it in front of me so that I am able to see myself.
Take it. Embrace it, and you will never wander this filthy earth alone.
No longer will you look for petty ways to discover your immortal soul.
Listen to my words.
I am your hospitable host and humble guest.
I am your caring mother and shielding father.
I am a wounded soldier and still a helpless, hopeless victim of the walk.
Of The Extermination.
I am a survivor,
A hopeful saint, a mighty warrior for our first Love, our Father, and our Father Land.
I am strong. I am weak.
Though a newborn baby with so much ahead of me,
So much to learn, I am ancient, one of the oldest.
I have survived the most brutal pain
Time and time again.
I have been planted and destroyed
But my roots have endured; my rebirth conquered the seeds of destruction
And my revival will remain.
I am alive; I have so much to give.
But my contributions go far beyond my recognition.
Impatient, I have become,
Like the daughter of a murder victim, whose truth is yet to be acknowledged.
I am the beautiful ancestor,
Luring you into my ancient caves and ruins.
I charm you as I share legends that radiate majestic brilliance.
You are enchanted.
For the glory I carry is not of this realm.
No,
It is one you have never known.
You have been searching, but you never found.
Here I am,
I offer you this splendor.
I wrote this poem after doing a photoshoot last year for Armenian Independence Day (click here to view the photos from the blog post). I was inspired by the two photos above.
Above: Me reciting my poem at A Night of Poetry, hosted by the City of Glendale at Glendale City Hall to commemorate lives of victims of crimes against humanity.
Photography: Ace Photography, Jewelry: Jewelry by Pateel