There is something about the familiar
Which is very comforting
No introduction necessary
Old feelings come to fore:
A box of Persian sweets from Iran
Brought by my cousin
Sent by my aunt
Takes me back to my visit to Yazd

I pick up the Sohané Ardi
And gently take a first bite
As it melts in my mouth
My senses take me years back
When one spring
My father, mother, brother and I
Drove to that part of Iran

My first memory is of gazing at the sky
Dotted thickly with luminous stars
So many stars that the sky seemed white

The endless dessert around us
Dust on the road
Dust in the car

The wide streets of Yazd
The numerous bakeries in town
Seeing pashmak* being made
Smelling the sweets all around

I take a second bite of Sohan
A feast for my taste buds

Now comes the memory of Naw Ruz
When we used to live in Iran
Where our Haft Seen table was prepared with love

The family visits
The sweets we ate
The shirini** my mom baked
The love we shared

And now…
The Haji Badoom, Baklava
Nane Berenjy and Sohan
Cause these memories to flood my mind!

Lida Berghuis
April 4th, 2010

Written after receiving sweets from dear aunt Badri

*pashmak is a Persian sweet resembling
cotton candy

**shirini is sweets in Persian