January 13, 2026: 'Help is on the way,' Donald Trump says as he urges Iranians to 'keep protesting'
January 30, 2026: Reuters: Thousands detained in Iran as part of large-scale preemptive arrest operation. IRGC personnel and plainclothes intelligence agents are raiding homes across the country and transferring those detained to secret prison facilities in order to prevent any attempts to restart the protests.
Betray me once, deceive me twice
Forsake Ukraine, Iran - on ice
When you are Trump, your honor's dreck
You give your word to take it back
Written By: D. Collins 1/16/26
I question those who think that it is perfectly fine.
To support a man who ducked and dodged 5 times.
Now Canada and China are teaming up in the west.
Like Greenland, Canada may feel that it could be next.
Slapping tariffs on countries who object to the overthrow.
The rest of the world now sees just how low he can go.
Putting soldiers on the streets in Minneapolis?
Yet, praising the perpetrators of January 6th.
His foot is on the gas heading straight to the abyss.
The direction we are headed is so incredibly ludacris.
Why would Iranians even think he even cares about them?
Lest, they have forgotten how he truly feels about Muslims.
When missiles fly
The Mullahs lie
They bide their time
To turn the tide
Their constant bluster
Now short of luster
For why we ask
No God sent task
To build a bomb
With feigned aplomb
Their word to spread
Among the dead
They have their place
To find God's grace
Not trample lives
Like stinging hives
Fear and temerity
No road to prosperity
But that's what they seek
Control of the meek
A proud nation with tales of old
A proud people who once were bold
A history where feats abound
A long lost empire to astound
Time for Iranians to now earn
That for which they clearly yearn
Freedoms tenuous flickering light
Now in their grasp in line of sight
Changing world?
In Peru, they import potatoes
In Guatemala, they plant thousands of trees
drink cacao, sit in groups, and sing
think they are new agers
the new war in The Middle East began
because Israel saw the need to attack
Iran, this to defend itself
Netanyahu is in uproar with the Iranians
has bombed a hospital
A Jewish lady tells me about the killings in Gaza
is done by Hamas, and it has nothing
to do with IDF!
Iran is in chaos, totally ruined, and ready
to surrender to regime change
but the lack of potatoes in Peru worries
me the most
Mutually Assured Destruction
Air-raid drills in the hallway,
air-raid shelters in the backyard,
neither would have worked.
If us and the Russians would have
gotten MAD at each other
the Cold War would have been toast.
In 1990 with détente,
no one would get MAD
or so we thought.
Perhaps the Russians will get MAD
at the Ukranians. The Ukraine gave
up its nukes, so perhaps AD instead.
Maybe the Iranians will now get the
bomb and be MAD at the Israelis. Or
maybe the Israelis get MAD first.
Perhaps India gets MAD at Pakistan, or
maybe they get MAD at each other.
So, they will be MAD together.
Perhaps we will all get MAD at
the same time. Oh well, no one
will be left.
MADDENING.
Souls in Heaven.
First, was Neda, then Sahar, now Mahsa.
She was forced to bend her soul.
Once again, a woman died.
The government's sordid role.
Mahsa's death in custody,
Must be steadfastly investigated.
So Ebrahim Raisi said.
Once again, Iranians will feel frustrated.
Raul Máximo da Silva
Portugal
Fighting for a New Iran.
Marg Bar they shout
At those they hate,
Iranians want changes
They are brave, they are great.
They must call for rebellion
So freedom voices say,
But when they need their help
Those voices are far away.
Opponents who gather on the streets
Are persecuted and oppressed
When they fight for freedom and justice
They believe they are blessed.
Raul Máximo da Silva
Portugal
An Ode to a People Who Are Suffering.
First came the war
Iranians had to fight
Eight years of suffering
Warlords hardly are right.
The war was over
Many souls were lost
No more soldiers, no more bullets
But a terrible economic cost.
Because of sanctions after sanctions
Iran´s sun cannot shine.
Iranians are still suffering
But the politicians are fine.
Suddenly, a deadly virus
Started infecting everyone
Among the Iranians who are dying
Are the poor and the rich one.
The end of this tragedy
Depends on God´s will
Iranians’faith is so strong
That it can move a hill.
Raul Máximo da Silva
Portugal
HAIBUN
You are electron microscopic size, but you possess infinitesimal power. Just a single strand of encapsulated RNA, yet you and your brothers SARS and MERS can sicken and kill more complex life.
Covid-19, virion unseen
Bring humans to their knees
Cowering and trembling
You spring up suddenly from nowhere and spread like fire in a parched forest. Devastating stock markets, stopping sports teams, halting concerts and forbidding gatherings over 250 souls. Quarantines of ships and planes. People greedily grasping, fighting and clawing for the important things in life: toilet paper, masks, cleaning supplies, paper towels.
A boon to corporations
Johnson and Johnson, Proctor and Gamble
Secretly happy you are around.
World wide you spread, showing no regard for race, boundaries or politics.
Italians, Iranians, Chinese,
Americans, Norwegians,
Japanese, Brazilians
The world caught unprepared. Scientists scrambling to develop a vaccine. All will breathe a sigh of relief when you cease your rampage. That is until you return, mutated, the same but different and we start all over again.
In his never-ending quest for Truth, Justice and the American Way
Our President, Mr. Donald Trump, reassured us about Iran yesterday
First, of course, if Iran does not develop the bomb
We can 'Make Iran Great Again,' boasted Trump with aplomb
And if that happens, Iranians will be very 'wealthy and happy'
Our Fearless Leader mused, not at all worried about sounding real sappy
Last, but not least, the Great Man said he could see
Becoming 'Best Friends' with Iran, just you wait -- Tee Hee!
Well, after reading this stuff, I was sure greatly relieved
That America's news media could be so easily deceived
Persian Haiku 2
What a gorgeous view!
You and the flower garden,
I'm the butterfly.
Your eyes, the ocean;
The ocean colors your eyes.
Your hair is the wave.
Moon on the ocean,
Your face is the reflection.
Always be alone.
I live with my heart,
All flowers are beautiful,
I love daffodils.
What a discussion,
I had with all my flowers.
Their breath smells nice.
3/20/2018 Haloo
Note: Iranians/Persians Celebrate today, the first day of spring as their new year. We call this day Norooz or Nowruz, it translates as New Day. From my family to yours, Norooz Mobarak ....Happy New Year.
He razzed Iran’s chieftain emir
Cotton's had his writing premiere
The paparazzi
Might call him a Nazi
But he's just a smart profiteer
Author's note: This young senator reminds me of someone who might have attended a Hitler youth camp. Fear is his opportunity. While he is strangely self-assured, he is on the same side of the nuclear negotiations as the Iranian hardliners. He doesn't go back and talk about the time the USA overthrew the democratically elected government of Iran and installed the brutal Shah. (Even if that information is critical to the relationship we now have with the Iranians.) If talks fail we know there will be a short term benefit to certain groups. Are you affiliated with them, Senator? Follow the $$$.
There are many questions that worry mankind
Has Katie`s sister got a lovely behind ?
Is there life on Mars or even in the States ?
Will Obama and the Iranians ever be mates ?
But the biggest question that should concern us the most
And keep us here talking from coast to far coast
Why do the actors in Navy CSI
Always wave mugs as coffee as the camera passes by ?
The universe appears a myth
Frozen be art of compassion
Fake smiles sailing adrift
Confidence buried in abstraction
Epitome of shallow aliens
Touring Earth in search of peace
Marred by the war as most Iranians
Foreseeing when it all will cease
Dejection raps upon my skull
Accompanied by displays of fatigue
In an attempt discreet to annul
Knowing not of what they need
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