Genesis

They selected a man and a woman—a modest pair,

plucked his wings,

bade him to see the light of the world

and threw him down at 7 a.m. sharp.

Twenty-seven steps, all in all.

He knocked on the door

but there was no one inside

they’d gone to a concert—

no time to give birth to him.

June 2006

Tehran

Translated by Samvel Mkrtchyan