New Poetry by Bernardo Villela

Memorializing Alireza

In an honor killing 

honor dies with the martyred,

nothing’s restored only taken;

left in its blooded wake grief and hate.

His name should be known.

His photo displayed

indicator of a future robbed,

of hate alive and well. 

In some nations equality 

needs fighting for,

in other nations it is 

a dream yet unattained. 

“We finished him off,”

his stepbrother said

to his mother as if

her son were a hit;

a life expendable,

bereft of significance and value

because of the shape of his love,

because who he was meant to be.

A mother left without a child,

a boyfriend without his other half,

because he was taken by a violent ideal,

dumped under a tree, like refuse.

A nation that outs its youth,

branding them mentally ill

for breaking heteronormative molds,

needs the world as loudspeakers for the voiceless. 

Needs the world to

lend our voice, 

lend our support,

lend our ears,

lend our eyes, 

Needs the world to

to see the struggle,

to offer help,

to draw attention,

to ride the wave.

The tumult of injustice

humanity wades through

cannot be overcome in

a straight line. 

Breakers will often return

threatening to swallow us,

to drown us down,

but we swim on

crying for help.

Alireza has been taken

by unforgiving hateful currents.

We who understand and remain

must swim on and shout his name.

Alireza Fazeli Monfared.

Now gone, now memorialized,

a testament to a rising pride

battling a hateful tide.

- © Bernardo Villela 2021

Bernardo Villela has had poetry published by Entropy and Zoetic Press. He’s had fiction published with Coffin Bell Journal, The Dark Corner Zine, 101 Proof Horror, A Monster Told Me Bedtime Stories, Page & Spine You can read more about these and various other pursuits at www.miller-villela.com.