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Re: The Modern Armenian Literature Thread - Արդի Հայ Գրականութեան Ընթերցումն
Shushanik Kurghinian (1876-1927)
This post was prompted by the story of another Shushanik, born in Gyumri over 100 years after Shushanik Kurghinian, which showed that little has changed for many women in Gyumri, still imprisoned by lack of opportunities and imposed-on family expectations/obligations. http://hetq.am/eng/articles/3397
"I Want To Live."
I want to live, but not a lavish life wedged
in obscurity, unconcern, simple-mindedness,
nor an outright hostage of beauty aids
as a frail creature, delicate and feeble -
but equal to you, oh men,
auspicious, as you are - powerful and headstrong,
fit against calamities, and ingenious
with bodies full of fervor.
I want to act, next to you, in equality
as my peoples loyal chapter;
let me suffer over and again, night or day
roaming from one place to another,
struggling for those ideals of sovereignty
And let this heft torment me in my exile
only to gain the purpose of my life.
I want to fight, first as your rival,
standing against you with an old vengeance,
that absurdly and without mercy you
turned me into a vassal through love and force
Then after clearing these issues of my sex
I want to fight against the agonies of life
courageously like you, holding your hand,
together facing this struggle of being or not.
"To Live"
To live, one must give completely--
Strength, joy, fervor, and youth,
Have no fear of pain, hold back tears,
Forget smiles, love, and compassion.
To live, one must defy death.
What joy not to grow old!
Time plays a joke in vain,
And defeated, it passes you by unnoticed.
Instead of walking, take flight--falling matters not,
For he who falls from up high does not stay down.
Let your soul grow strong on the anvil of pain,
Unhindered--in order to live.
Shushanik Kurghinian (1876-1927)
This post was prompted by the story of another Shushanik, born in Gyumri over 100 years after Shushanik Kurghinian, which showed that little has changed for many women in Gyumri, still imprisoned by lack of opportunities and imposed-on family expectations/obligations. http://hetq.am/eng/articles/3397
"I Want To Live."
I want to live, but not a lavish life wedged
in obscurity, unconcern, simple-mindedness,
nor an outright hostage of beauty aids
as a frail creature, delicate and feeble -
but equal to you, oh men,
auspicious, as you are - powerful and headstrong,
fit against calamities, and ingenious
with bodies full of fervor.
I want to act, next to you, in equality
as my peoples loyal chapter;
let me suffer over and again, night or day
roaming from one place to another,
struggling for those ideals of sovereignty
And let this heft torment me in my exile
only to gain the purpose of my life.
I want to fight, first as your rival,
standing against you with an old vengeance,
that absurdly and without mercy you
turned me into a vassal through love and force
Then after clearing these issues of my sex
I want to fight against the agonies of life
courageously like you, holding your hand,
together facing this struggle of being or not.
"To Live"
To live, one must give completely--
Strength, joy, fervor, and youth,
Have no fear of pain, hold back tears,
Forget smiles, love, and compassion.
To live, one must defy death.
What joy not to grow old!
Time plays a joke in vain,
And defeated, it passes you by unnoticed.
Instead of walking, take flight--falling matters not,
For he who falls from up high does not stay down.
Let your soul grow strong on the anvil of pain,
Unhindered--in order to live.
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