Vahan Derian

[Eddie]

Here two poems, one by Vahan Derian, the other by an English fellow Leigh Hunt. Both in their own, very different, way express a moment of human solidarity so central to our existence. Eddie

 

 

76.

 

I shall be there, when alone

Beneath the melancholic evening shadows

You bury your broken dream

And walk away forlorn

 

When sorrow settles in your spent heart

I shall come like a forgotten song

Woven with prayers, with love and with flowers

I shall call you to other shores

 

I shall come when you are sad

When your dreams are forever dashed

I shall hold your hand and bear your pain

I shall light other fires for your soul

 

(Vahan Derian)

 

 

 

Abou Ben Adhem

 

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

And saw, within the moonlight in his room,

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold:—

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

And to the Presence in the room he said

"What writest thou?"—The vision raised its head,

And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered "The names of those who love the Lord."

"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,

But cheerly still, and said "I pray thee, then,

Write me as one that loves his fellow men."

 

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night

It came again with a great wakening light,

And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,

And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

 

(Leigh Hunt)

[Arpa]

Dear Eddie, thank you for another excellent post.

Is that a btranslation of this?

 

Ես կգամ, երբ դու մենակ կմնաս

Տրտում իրիկվա ստվերների տակ,

Երբ դու կթաղես տենչերդ խորտակ

Եվ վհատությամբ երբ կհեռանաս...

 

Ես կգամ, որպես մոռացված մի երգ

Հյուսված աղոթքից, սիրուց ու ծաղկից

Քո մեռած սրտում կլինի թախիծ

ես կկանչեմ քեզ դեպի այլ եզերք:

 

Ես կգամ, երբ դու կլինես տրտում,

Երբ երազներդ հավետ կմեռնեն,

Ձեռքդ կբռնեմ, ցավդ կըմբռնեմ,

Կվառեմ ուրիշ լույսեր քո հոգում...

----

I had known that poem about Abou Ben since my elementary English classes. In fact I may even recite it if I were to strain my memory. I surmise that that poem was inserted in our English textbooks since they were written for the people of the Middle East.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Arpa