I'm Happy And Free

You are gone, Navid—
But I know,
There are many like you
In my homeland,
On its restless streets,
Beneath its shattered roofs,
In the grip of its merciless poverty,
Beating within its vast and wounded heart.

You are gone, Navid—
But you left to remind us
That the future
Belongs only to those like you.
With your unwavering voice,
Your untarnished soul,
Your boundless kindness,
You stood shoulder to shoulder with truth
Until your last breath—
A warrior’s farewell:
“I am happy and free”,
You said.

You are gone, Navid—
To show us
How far we are from you.
Each day, we cry your name,
Turn your image into an emblem,
Your farewell into a lament.

But if only—
We could learn from your courage,
And speak the truth:
That we understand nothing.
That we are strangers to the people.
That we have read politics in books,
Shouted slogans for spectacle,
And failed you in action.
That we are selfish,
That we are divided,
That we lie,
That we weep for you with borrowed tears.

If we had truly stood with you,
We would have held your hand in the streets.
Held the hands of the people.


Footnotes:
Navid Afkari (July 1993 – 12 September 2020) was an Iranian wrestler who was executed on September 12, 2020, by the Iranian government. 
His story became a symbol of resistance against oppression, and his last words before execution, reportedly "I am happy and free," continue to resonate with many who fight for justice in Iran.