Persian Poetry in English : Ahmad Shamlou (Nightly, 1969)

Ahmad Shamlou (Nightly, 1969)

For a mere whisper, perhaps?
Or maybe for a ritual, a prayer?

It wonder,
If the poplar tree and the pine,
concealed in the embrace of unison,
are not preparing a new plot, a new scheme!
Or contriving a conspiracy? Or a secret sisterhood?

Well,
any of these may indeed, be true.
And why shouldn’t they?


In time,
the monstrous beasts of darkness,
and the sworn enemies of life–
are seen wandering around–
all day and all night.


*&*

True!
I head them marching.
I heard them prying, waiting-
in a silent ambush.

And,
I deem,
this silence,
is not but a nuptial recital and a wager–
celebrating the union of this darkness–
and its only legitimate mate–
this night.

*&*

Also true!
I saw her singing.
The nightingale I mean.
Standing alone, up in the in air,
In the silence of the sky,
She never stopped.

True,
I saw her, myself,
dancing to her anthem of truth,
not going to sleep–
staying up,
in the air.

*&*

Yet,
I wonder,
if for a mere whisper,
the poplar tree and the pine–
are sealed in the embrace of unison–
like you and I?

*&*


None,
But True!
For I myself see–
In this tormented sea–
The Night pleads for eternity–
And the darkness bids for everlasting-
Life.

And I deem,
in this tormented sea–
For the presence of Evil–
no stronger proof or evidence–
than this flawless silence–
needs to be brought.

***&***

For Evil, for its presence–
this dense and flawless silence–
is the irrefutable evidence.


***&***

Translated By: Maryam Dilmaghani, June 2009, Montreal