My Great Grandmother
Forogh Cobra Astaneha
(1915-1987)
Wisdom she had plenty of
My great grandmother I’ve never met
Brave and strong, she was a warrior
With immense respect for herself and others
Or to say “tender”
Grace she had plenty of
Had a taste for all the good
Or to have “style”
She always wore formal
Or to show “elegance”
Her hair was straight, long, and soft as silk
With her deep and bold brown eyes
She always had a small-think grin
Or to view the “profound”
Proud she was yet humble and human
Her life was a fairly tale, yet painful
She made a choice very early
To live her dream life
No matter what
Or to say with “joy”
My great grandmother
I’ve never met
Yet as a kid they told a lot about her
Stories I kept to my hearth and got warmed up
Stories that helped me dream
Or to say “legacy”
Time must have halted when she passed away
The love and cherish people had for her
She died a proud woman, being 72
Everyone yearned for her help
For the gifts of love she had plenty of
Or they say “compassion”
Time must have halted when she passed away
The hardship of last lonely years was over
Yet she was ready
To move on
Or to say “heaven”
She witnessed the unfair world
She knew the unjust life
Yet she had made a choice
For which she never looked back
Or to be “free”
She felt for the weak and poor
Shared the love with the loveless
Or to state”hope”
Forogh Cobra Astaneha
She was the youngest of three
Mother died early on
The vivid memory of the mom
She always talked about
A good connection to her father
She was proud of
Or to show “attachment”
The love for her older siblings
She always shared with others
Or to confirm “happiness”
My great grandmother passed down the worship
To my grandma and my mom
While grandma missing her a lot
As she was not given to her mom
As women did not have voice
Or to have “rights”
My great grandmother become close to my mom
Mom was first grandchild
She told stories of herself to mom, aunties, and uncles
Hoping they would pass it on
Or to let us “keeping it alive”
My great grandmother knew magic
Magic would happens when it was least expected
Yet magic could be stopped at the door
If you did not open your heart
Magic would blow your mind away
Like the seasons magical transformations
And the stars magical light
Or to speak of “god”
Forogh Cobra Astaneha
Her first marriage lasted only two years
Refusing to be abused
She claimed her dignity
And asked for divorce
Or to “find her way”
Divorce a doomed taboo
She took it to her heart
The brave warrior she was
She stood up for herself
And ignored the blames
Or to declare” self-control”
Two other marriages
Was what she had
Lived happily ever after
In every relationship
Her daughter or my grandma
Never had the chance
Of being only with the powerful mother
Her life could be different
If this brave great grand ma could decide
My grandmother came for visits
With wagon and white horses
With the chauffeur and servant
Who carried all the baskets of gifts
She bribed everyone with gifts
To be kind to her only child
Who was living with the step-ma
Who not always was kind
The story of Cinderella was reversed
And grandma got mentally ill
Very early on
Or they say “crazy”
My great grandmother tried hard
And lived her luxurious life
With many gold coins to tip
Places to go, people to meet
Yet my grandma was away from her
And great grandmother could do little
Or better say due to “patriarchy”
My great grandmother
Lived a life with dignity and self respect
Her legacy stays with me forever
Even though I never met her
She lives inside of me
As a spirit of love
Or the legacy of hope
And self-confident.
This was the story of my great grandmother
Beloved Forogh Cobra Astaneha.
Your Great granddaughter
Vancouver 2001
