A Poem About Stoning

I translated this poem about stoning by Asieh Amini, a young, energetic and well-known activist and journalist in Iran. I admire her greatly for all of her work and for working tirelessly despite all the obstacles and risks!

This poem is about the act of stoning which is a very brutal form of punishment, often practiced in some of the Muslim countries, for those who have committed adultery. Despite all the attempts, Iran unfortunately remains one of the countries that has not yet fully abandoned this cruel form of punishment.

The Person Who Throws Stones At Me!

When the “stone rain” begins

…

Before it makes

a mountain of stone out of me,

it turns your heart into a rock.

***

Let’s even say that I am a sinner,

that I am a cruel criminal,

that I deserve to be punished

…

You, who are making a stone out of your own heart,

and are throwing these stones at me;

I have a question from you:

“At night, do you sleep with the innocence of Mary?”

Asieh Amini, 2006

To read more about stoning in Iran, click here.