A Pomegranate Story: And Other Poems

By Hanie Afshar

She's one of the
Pomegranates
On the tree

She falls
Cracks open
Starts to bleed

Now you wash the hands
That have ripped its skin
They're remaining red
You are never clean

Inspired by personal experiences and the stories of others, A Pomegranate Story is a poignant collection of poems and artwork about love, abuse, heartbreak, womanhood, immigration, and ultimately transformation. Through her poetry, Hanie Afshar offers a reflective account of her journey as a woman, as an immigrant, and as someone shaped by life in a so-called "Third World country."

Serving as the book's central symbol, the pomegranate is both deeply powerful and deeply personal for Hanie. Long celebrated in her homeland; as an emblem of femininity, fertility, and resilience, it embodies the many layers of meaning running through her work. This connection reaches back to Hanie's own beginnings: while pregnant with her, Hanie's mother was gifted the first pomegranates from the tree that grew in her late grandfather's backyard. In A Pomegranate Story, this fruit becomes a vessel for hidden histories and voices often unheard.

At its core, A Pomegranate Story is a story of renewal. With simple yet emotionally relatable lyricism, Hanie beautifully navigates the complexities of identity and cultural displacement, empowering readers to discover the resilience required to begin anew.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1038338891
• ISBN13: 9781038338891
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: FriesenPress
• Length: 66 Pages
• Weight: 0.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"