Persepolis
by Marco Katz Montiel / January 25th, 2026
Katayoun, reverential, from afar sees rain
Gently fall on the end of theocracy’s reign.
She has waited so long, protected her daughter,
Hardly daring to hope for democracy’s reign.
Her parents once welcomed the end of the slaughter
Under a shah who abused his monarchy’s reign—
Harkening back to the age of Zoroaster
Manifested in poetical Farsi’s reign—
But fanatics caused the new regime to falter,
Reined in by clerics, part of autocracy’s reign.
Now Katayoun fears that they’ll just trade the halter
And tightly-held reins for scary anarchy’s reign.
Oh, Katayoun, bathed in the light, washed by water
Made sacred, now gently falling like faerie’s rain,
Hear these humble words from Marco, who would foster,
If he could, human virtue, philosophy’s reign.
Marco Katz Montiel composes poetry and prose in Spanish, English, and musical notes. He went to college late, and then alienated one university by publishing about bigotry on campus and got kicked to the curb by two others for his union activities. Still, Marco managed to graduate and even publish a book on music and literature with Palgrave. His essays, poems, and stories appear in
Ploughshares,
Jerry Jazz Music,
English Studies in Latin America,
Copihue Poetry,
Camino Real,
WestWard Quarterly,
Lowestoft Chronicle,
Dissident Voice, and in the anthologies
Cartas de desamor y otras adicciones,
There’s No Place, and the
Capital City Press Anthology.
Read other articles by Marco Katz, or
visit Marco Katz's website.
This article was posted on Sunday, January 25th, 2026 at 8:00am and is filed under Poetry.
