I Ran

I grew up on films like Not Without My Daughter

A young girl was held captive in Iran by her violent father

I would watch this film as a child and see a false depiction of my grandfather's land

I could never imagine such treatment by his old Iranian hands

As I got older, the lack of representation began to fester

I would see Iranians on the screen, but they were no more than terrorists or jesters

Placed on the screen like pawns for a larger narrative

I began to call Iran “I-ran” a huge disrespect to my heritage

It was the day I decided to pick up a pen

I would reclaim who we were, and be us again