sofreh-ye aghd

for Niloofar and Philip

the mirrored morning
pushes out
the god of candles

sugar cones rubbed
by hands that hold and pull
sweeten the tightened cloth

an arrow hits the decorated eggs
hanging from branches
as figs fall and split beneath the trees

hearts that start as nuts
break then sprout

sticks of wheat pushed into honeyed spice
spill rosewater
over legs and books