a wise woman with a heart of gold
travelling in the mountains ice-cold
found a priceless gem in a river
and concealed it in her satchel fold

next day she met another walker
who was a worn and hungry hawker
the woman opened her bag to share
her food with the man, a smooth-talker

as soon as he saw the fine stone
he urged her to have it as his own
the woman agreed without question
the man took off for a fate unknown

he rejoiced in his enormous luck
he was secure with that precious rock
but days later he returned the gem
with a dilemma he was stuck

"I give you this stone back," he said
"in the hope that you show me instead
what jewel you have within that made you
grant me the jewel from a river bed."

2001, Azadeh Azad