POETIC REVIVAL

It takes a long time to become self aware Just to know where you are in life, To know who you are,  Where you came from And where you're headed.  You ask yourself  What’s my mission, my goal Must I have one? Is it worth to strive for To spend a lifetime on? At some point in your journey  You discover,  That there are oceans of knowledge to learn Will you have time, should you even try? There is no rational answer. At first, it seems finding love is a child’s play, Then after countless heartbreaks You stop looking, hoping, Or you settle. Then the questions become more urgent, Whats the most fundamental factor in life? What values are paramount? Will I find them? Do I need them? If I find my answers Will that make me happy? Am I happy? Am I fulfilled? Who said happiness is important? Can I be happy when millions are miserable? Why do humans exist? Is there a divine purpose? When will we end? It’s a life time of struggle To find answers Then your time’s up.

In my dream I saw Ani, I saw my late mother too. I hugged her like a child,  And I kissed her. Ah, mother I said, I’m very sick, I’m without hope, I said, I have a wound incurable And the misery of the world. The mind is powerless, the will uncertain Love a fallacy a fantasy Destiny is evil, life without meaning Death an unending fright I am tired mother, I need to rest I don’t want to feel or think. Mother mother please undress me Cover me so I can sleep.  The whole world is a nightmare, An insane delirium, Man is but a shadow, effort is useless, Every step closer to death… Ani is a ruined medieval Armenian City Now in Turkey  Ani was also the diminutive of ancient goddess Anahit who was seen as the mother protector of Armenia. It was also called The city of 1001 churches. Wikipedia.org Poem By Avedik Isahakian Translated from Armenian by Armineh Amirian Zohrabian