GALAKTION TABIDZE

POEMS1

translated by
Innes Merabishvili

Galaktion Tabidze, Poems, translated by Innes Merabishvili,

Critical, Cultural and Communications Press, Nottingham, 2011.

rac ufro Sors xar

rac ufro Sors xar, miT ufro vtkbebi!
me SenSi miyvars ocneba Cemi,
xeluxlebeli _ rogorc mzis sxivi,
miuwvdomeli _ rogorc edemi.
da Tu ara xar is, visac vfiqrob,
me dRes ar vnaRvlob, dae, vcdebode!
avadmyof guls surs, rom mas ocnebis
TeTr angelozad evlinebode.
daiwvas guli ucnaur trfobiT,
cremliT aivsos zRva-sawyauli,
oRond mjerodes me Cemi bodva
da siyvarulis dResaswauli.
1908

The More Away

The more away, the more I love!
In you I love my dearest dream,
It feels as if in Eden lives,
Untouched as if the suns bright beam.
You differ, maybe, from that dream,
I never grieve about it now!
My aching heart is apt to wish
You were an angel white endowed.
Let ardour strange all burn my heart,
Let seas be filled with tears I shed,
To trust the miracle of Love,
And ravings of a lover mad.

netav male miaRwevde mizans

Sen Subls ixsni da sibneles lewav,
saqarTvelos moRrublulo zecav...
netav male aRmobrwyindes mnaTi,
male sxivi mogefinos netav!
win miiwev da xmaurob, gRviZavs,
saqarTvelos sevdiano miwav,
netav male daamsxvrevde borkils,
netav male miaRwevde mizans!..
1908

And Gain Your Dearest Aim

You show your face and break the dark,
You, Georgias cloudy sky,
Rise blazing bright I wish the sun
To make you full of light!
You are awake, you act, you move!
The land of sorrowed fame,
I wish you burst your fetters soon!
And gain your dearest aim!

me da Rame
exla, roca am striqons vwer, SuaRame iwvis,
dneba,
sio, sarkmliT monaqroli, velTa zRapars
meubneba.
mTvariT nafens aremare ver icilebs vercxlis
sabans,
sio arxevs da atokebs Cems sarkmlis win
iasamans.
ca mtredisfer, lurj svetebiT ise aris
daserili,
ise aris savse grZnobiT, viT riTmebiT es
werili.
saidumlo SuqiT are ise aris Sesudruli,
ise savse uxv grZnobebiT, viT am Rames Cemi
guli.
didi xnidan saidumlos mec Rrmad gulSi
davatareb,
ar vumJRavneb qveynad arvis, niavsac ki ar
vakareb.
ra ician megobrebma, Tu ra naRvels itevs guli,
an ra aris mis siRrmeSi saukunod Senaxuli.
ver momparavs bnel gulis fiqrs wuTi wuTze
uamesi,
saidumlos ver momtacebs qalis xvevna da
alersi;

The Night and I

At composing these true lines the midnights melting,
burning down,
The wind is whiffling through skylights calling tales from
distant mounts.
The moon has spread a silver blanket, the ambience is all
snow white,
The lilacs play and toss in bows near my casement,
breezing light.
As with gentle secret caution, the skys slashed with greyblue stripes,
Filled they are with magic motion like the rhymes amid
these lines.
None is seen and none is spoken, the nights a mystery
indeed,
The air is filled with deep emotions like my heart full to the
brim.
And this heart a secret treasures longtime now and since the
past,
I do cosset it, do cherish, to a man will never trust.
Oh, my friendsll neer know the grief I suffered, the pains
I felt,
For this sorrow as a vow in my heart is deeply kept.
No embraces and no kisses, no sweet lips of damsels fair,
No, no one can ever steal it, whats the soul of lonely care.

verc Zilis dros neli oxvra, da verc Tasi

RviniT savse,
ver wamarTmevs mas, rac gulis bnel siRrmeSi
movaTavse.
mxolod Ramem, uZilobis dros sarkmelSi
mokamkamem,
icis Cemi saidumlo, yvela icis TeTrma Ramem.
icis _ rogor davrCi oblad, rogor vevne da
vewame,
Cven orni varT qveyanaze: me da Rame, me da Rame!
1913

Nor the sounds in sleep I utter, nor the words, I say, when
drunk,
Can reveal once or betray the secret treasured in my heart.
But the night at sleepless times, penetrating through
skylights,
Knows the story of my life, knows the aches that made me
cry,
What a lonely orphan suffered, all that tortures till I die,
Only two together suffered, the Night and I,
the Night and I.

usiyvarulod
usiyvarulod...
mze ar sufevs cis kamaraze,
sio ar dahqris, tye ar krTeba
sasixarulod...
usiyvarulod ar arsebobs
arc silamaze,
arc ukvdaveba ar arsebobs usiyvarulod.
magram sul sxvaa siyvaruli
ukanaskneli,
rogorc yvavili Semodgomis
xSirad pirvels sjobs,
igi ar uxmobs qariSxlian
umizno vnebebs,
arc ymawvilur Jins, arc velur xmebs
igi ar uxmobs...
da Semodgomis siciveSi
velad gazrdili,
is gazafxulis naz yvavilebs
sulac ara hgavs...
sios magivrad qariSxali
ealerseba
da vnebis nacvlad uxmo alerss
garemoucavs.
da Wkneba, Wkneba siyvaruli
ukanaskneli,
Wkneba mwuxared, nazad, magram
usixarulod.
da ar arsebobs qveyanaze
TviT ukvdaveba,
TviT ukvdaveba ar arsebobs
usiyvarulod!
1914
10

Without Love
Without love
There lives no sun high in the Heavens,
Breeze never blows, woods never quiver
For beloved...
Without love there even exists
No beauty,
No immortality ever lives
Without love.
But the last love is totally
Different,
Like an autumn flower oft better
Than the one,
Thats first and yields to aimless passions,
Youthful whims,
Tireless and fervent, known for wild darts...
In autumnal coldness its grown,
In valleys,
And is never like a spring flower,
Gentle and smart...
Is never caressed by breeze but by
Whirling winds,
Instead of desire by endearment
Voiceless balmed.
And the last love is being withered,
Being withered,
In grief and sorrow, though tender,
But all glum.
No immortality ever lives
In the world,
No immortality ever lives
Without love!

11

meris TvalebiT
es ramdenime dRea da ramdenime Rame
daxurulia guli, rogorc sakani rame.
TiTqo umZimes karebs kupris daedo luqi,
gulSi verc zeca atans, verc sixarulis Suqi.
gaudaburda Cemi yofnis yoveli wami,
es ramdenime dRea da ramdenime Rame.
oh, momecaleT, kmara! mxolod sikvdili minda,
arc poezia matkbobs, arc megobroba wminda.
es ramdenime dRea da ramdenime Rame
are-midamos Sxamavs Rrma mwuxarebis Sxami.
Camoiburos zeca, misic aRara mjera
meris TvalebiT igi ver gabrwyindeba, vera!
1914

12

With Marys Eyes1

For several days and several nights
My heart has darkened been, closed tight.
As if a solitary cell,
A door thats locked with sealing wax.
No joy can reach my soul, no light
From skies that ever were so bright.
Each second of my being, my life
Has now become a desert wild.
For several days and several nights.
But now, you all, stop! Stand aside!
I long, long only for a Death,
Enjoying no Poesy, no friends.
The sphere is deeply poisoned here,
I ceased to trust the Heavens dear.
Let skies go dim! No more theyll shine
And brighten up with Marys eyes!

13

wuxeli, RamiT...
wuxeli, RamiT qari dahqroda
da didxans, didxans ar dameZina;
me mqonda bina, TavSesafari,
magram qariSxals ar hqonda bina.
xan karebs ukan atirdeboda,
xan darajobda sarkmelis wina.
gadamiSala Tvalwin warsuli
da mwared, mwared amaqviTina.
misebr poeti viyav ucnobi _
vexetebodi sevdian Rames,
ramden tkbil fiqrebs moeRo bolo,
ramden ocnebas, ramden siames!
wuxeli, RamiT qari dahqroda
da roca diliT gamomeRviZa,
yviTel foTlebs da damsxvreul rtoebs
mimoefaraT yamiri miwa.
baRSi gavedi... iqac bilikze
fenili iyo foToli rbili,
da didxans, didxans vxetialobdi
warsul sizmarSi gadafrenili.
1914

14

Last Night
Last night the wind, the wind whirled hard,
Long, long I could not fall asleep,
I had a home, a roof, a hut,
But never had a home the wind.
Sometimes the wind wept at the door,
Sometimes came closer to the panes,
I also wept, I also sobbed,
It told my past all full of pains.
Alike the wind a poet I was,
Alike the wind no one knew me,
Had gone by then the sweetest thoughts,
Had gone by then my dearest dreams.
Last night the wind, the wind whirled hard,
And when I woke up in the morn,
The yellow leaves and many a branch
Along the barren ground were thrown.
Went to the garden... on the path
Did lie so soft, so calm the leaves,
I wandered lonely and the past
All flew and flew with me in dreams.

15

rogorc sizmari
me mivdiodi, me mivdiodi
yvavilTa Soris _ viT niavqari,
me siyvaruli mesizmreboda
da me viyavi _ rogorc sizmari.
me mivdiodi, me movdiodi,
zvirTiviT swrafi, zvirTiviT Cqari.
Cemi ocneba swvavda yvavilebs
da me viyavi dilis ciskari.
magram ocnebam damasneula,
simwriT aivso yvavilT neqtari
da Zirs daeSva frTamomsxvreuli
fiqri nazi da daudevari.
yvavilTa Soris siamis nacvlad
ganadgurebis qanaobs qari,
da mware kvnersad momesmis mxolod
saRamos zari... saRamos zari.
Semodgomaa... baRis bilikebs
mimofenia foToli mWknari...
da me mivdivar, da me movdivar,
da me var ise, rogorc sizmari.
1914

16

As If A Dream
I walked, I walked among the flowers,
I walked as if a waft of air,
I dreamed of love in lovely bowers,
I felt I was a dream, so fair.
I walked, I walked along the bowers
Like billows swift, like billows fast,
My hopes and dreams did burn the flowers,
I felt I was the morning star.
But then that dream did make me ill,
No more my thoughts could reach the clouds,
Nectar of flowers with poison filled.
With broken wings my thoughts flew down.
Among the flowers no pleasure found,
The swinging wind of loss may tell,
As if the moans for me now sound
The chimes of evening, evening bells.
Now it is autumn, garden paths
Are covered all by withered leaves,
I walk, I walk along these paths,
I feel as if I am a dream.

17

foTlebi
Wkneba, yviTldeba sabralo baRi,
qari uberavs, foTlebi cviva,
gamourkvevel mwuxarebaSi
mzes suli uwuxs da guli stkiva.
noembris qarma yviTel foTlebiT
kval-bilikebiT gadaiara,
foTlebi swydeba im gatacebas
da Semodgomis mefobs iara.
1914

18

Leaves
The poor garden is sere and yellow,
The wind blows wild, no leaves are left
But withered, and in vague sorrow
The suns heart aches and gasps for breath.
November winds with yellow leaves
Have swept in furrows on their way,
The leaves break off from passion keen,
An open sore in autumn reigns.

19

ra sevdian nanas ambobs qari...

ra sevdian zRapars ambobs qari,
ameSala Cveul fiqrTa jari.
daiZineT, survilebo _ kmara!
kmara cremli, rac rom daiRvara.
daiZine Senc, imedo, Cemo,
Cemo rwmenav, zecav da edemo!
1915

20

How Sad the Lullaby of Winds...

How sad are stories told by winds,
My thoughts are flowing as in streams,
Desires dear, go to sleep,
Enough are tears, let them leave!
My faith and hope, do go to sleep,
Sleep Eden, skies and dearest dreams!

21

verxvebi
yovelTvis, roca daberavs qari
da nisls mTebisas gaifens afrad,
verxvis foTolTa TeTri laSqari
aSrialdeba uSores zRaprad.
zRapari igi maTrobs da mxiblavs
Zveli Rvinis smiT, uRonod, mZafrad,
sadRac dakargul vards da gvirilebs
mogonebebSi viWer Tanabrad.
es iyo winaT, didi xnis winaT...
sad, rodis, risTvis? ar vici, ara!
iyvnen odesRac da mieZinaT...
Relavs foTlebis mwyobri kamara.
mas Semdeg bedi da ialqani
qaris simZimiT gadaixara,
Sen ki sada xar amdeni xani?
risTvis, an visTan? ar vici, ara!
es iyo winaT, didi xnis winaT,
es iyo verxvis foTlebis kvnesa,
drom yvavilebiT dagvagvirgvina,
me paJi viyav, is ki _ princesa.
1915

22

Aspen Trees2
When from the mounts the cold wind blows,
When mist is spreading like a sail,
An army of white aspen leaves
May rustle as a fairy tale.
This ancient tale, makes thrilled and drunk,
And I am drunk with oldest wines,
In recollections then I grasp
The roses, daisies that were mine.
It was a long, long time ago,
Where, when and why? I know not now!
They lived but then they passed away,
The leaping leaves sweep up and down.
Since then the fortune and the sail
Have bent beneath the heavy winds,
I long for you, I miss your face,
I never guess what all this means.
It was the moan of aspen trees,
Time fled so fast and much has changed,
Time crowned us two with flowery wreaths,
She was a princess, I a page.

23

saRamo
mTis gagiJebul ruebs,
RviiT, ZenZiT da qviSiT,
grigali daayruebs
macxovrisadmi SiSiT.
da dedofali alva,
elvam daRuna civma;
ase gavida gvalva,
ase movida wvima...
jvari, lomi da kuro
farSavangebis aris.
TvalTa angelozT Suro,
Sen, RvTismSobelo karis!
zariT atexil grigals
daviT narinis jvari,
marmariloTa fiqals
gadaafarebs mZlavri.
an gaocebas, rasac
marad anaTebs Zeli,
isev daadebs razas
SemoRamebis celi.
an, rogorc asomTavruls,
mudam SevamCnev caze,
sxvisTvis uxilav-faruls
me rad gelodi ase...
jvarze gakruli elva _
es Cemi daa lurji,
lurj yvavilebis Telva _
axalgazrdoba urCi.
24

Evening
The mountain torrents madly rush,
With savin, sand, weeds wild,
By mighty gales they deafened are
With fright and awe of Christ.
The poplar thats a real queen,
By lightning is bent down,
The drought has gone, has gone away
To let the rains fall down.
The cross, the lion and the bull
They are the peacocks mates,
The eyes of angels envy you,
The Virgin of the Gate3!
And David Narins4 cross of might
Will cover marble slates
With dread and horror of the skies
Amid the roar of gales.
Or marvels of astonishment
Through faith in constant light,
Are latched as in no merriment
By scythes of the night.
Or, what is concealed from others,
I notice in the skies,
Oh, those sacred ancient letters5,
I longed for them long while...
The lightning seen across the cross
The sister blue of mine,
And trampling of the flowers blue
When young a way of life.
25

jvarTan misuli suro _

martoobaa qnaris...
TvalTa angelozT Suro,
Sen, RvTismSobelo karis!
1915

26

When ivy climbs close to the cross,

It shows a lone harps fate...
The eyes of angels envy you,
The Virgin of the Gate!

27

bavSvobis dReebi
gafrinda bavSvobis dReebi,
mindvrebi, Walebi, tyeebi.
uecrad movida SavebiT
sxva bavSvi Soreul dabidan.
mwuxare ferxulSi CavebiT
da Tvali cremlebma dabinda.
balaxi, mdinare, xeebi,
dReebi, bavSvobis dReebi.
1915

28

The Days Of Childhood

The days of childhood are fled,
With them the rivers and green belts,
All of a sudden came a child
All clad in black from distant climes.
We danced a round dance in grief,
Our eyes with tears grew all dim.
Where are the woods, the grass, the trees?
The days of childhood we miss.

29

elvare da lomferi
iyo cxra oqtomberi,
magram Tvalma daTvala
mze bevri da cxraTvala...
oh, mziT gadanacxaro,
cxramuxa da cxrawyaro!..
rusTaveli _ xania,
isic cxra anbania...
vneba iyo Rvaruli
Cemi cxra siyvaruli.
odes gnaxe, lomferi
iyo cxra oqtomberi.
1915

30

Dazzling, coloured lionlike

Was October on the ninth.
Eyes could count well in a while
Many a sun with nine eyes...
All nine oaks and all nine springs
Almost shrivelled by sunbeams.
Rustaveli6 course of time,
Spelled as well with letters nine...
And the passion flown in floods
Came from all of my nine loves.
When I met you, was the ninth
Of October lionlike.

31

Serigeba
totebs qarisas gadahyva marti,
TeTr tansacmelSi me movirTvebi
da waval qarSi, rogorc mocarti,
gulSi simReris msubuq zvirTebiT.
dRes yvelgan mzea. exla am baRebs
da myinvars, maRal zraxvaTa mefes,
maisi aliT aazambaxebs,
viT Seyvarebuls da meocnebes.
Cven gvirgvinebi gvaqvs odnav msgavsi,
lamazi SuqTa maradi nTebiT:
me msubuq dafnis foTlebiT savse,
myinvars umZimes iagundebiT.
amaRldi, sulo, TeTr akldamaze
mSvenierebis leqsiT mqebeli:
dRes yvelgan mzea da silamaze
sikvdilTan Cemi Semrigebeli!
1915

32

Reconciliation
To windy branches when March yields
In white costume Ill be clad,
Like Mozart, walking in the wind,
With waves of songs in heart Ill tread.
The sunny day is full of light
And icy Kaff7, the king of dreams,
Draws hues of iris from May skies,
As that to lover passion brings.
We both have crowns that look alike,
Eternal light shines over them:
My wreath of laurel is so light,
But Kaffs of glacial heavy gems.
Oh, spirit, rise over tomb white
With praise of beauty in bards words:
The sunny day is full of light
To reconcile me with my Death!

33

mTawmindis mTvare
jer arasdros ar Sobila mTvare ase wynari!
mdumarebiT Semosili SeRamebis qnari
qrolviT iwvevs cisfer landebs da xeebSi
aqsovs...
ase Cumi, ase nazi jer ca me ar maxsovs!
mTvare TiTqos zambaxia SuqTa mkrTali mZiviT,
da mis SuqSi gaxveuli msubuq sizmariviT
mosCans mtkvari da metexi TeTrad moelvare...
oh! arasdros ar Sobila ase nazi mTvare!
aq Cems axlo moxucis lands sZinavs mefur
ZiliT,
aq mwuxare sasaflaos, vardiT da gviriliT,
efineba varskvlavebis krToma mxiaruli...
baraTaSvils aq uyvarda oblad siaruli...
da mec movkvde simRerebSi tbis sevdian gedad,
oRond vTqva, Tu Ramem sulSi rogor Caixeda,
Tu sizmarma viT Seisxa cidan camde frTebi,
da gaSala ocnebaTa lurji ialqnebi;
Tu sikvdilis siaxlove rogor asxvaferebs
momakvdavi gedis hangTa vardebs da CanCqerebs,
Tu rogor vgrZnob, rom sulisTvis, am zRvam rom
aRzarda,
sikvdilis gza arra aris, vardisfer gzis garda;
rom am gzaze zRaparia mgosanT siTamame,
rom arasdros ar yofila ase Cumi Rame,
rom, aCrdilno, me Tqvens axlo sikvdils vegebebi,
rom mefe var da mgosani da simReriT vkvdebi,
rom wahyveba saukunes TqvenTan Cemi qnari...
jer arasdros ar Sobila mTvare ase wynari!
1915

34

The Moon Of Mtatsminda8

Skies have never seen the moon tranquil, as is this!
A magic lyre seems serene in the dusk of bliss,
Calling forth on flight blue ghosts, binding them with
trees...
I have never seen the skies tender, as are these!
The moons like an iris bloom with pale beads of beams,
Gleaming gently all around as in nights light dreams The riverside9 and the church10 sparkle in white streams...
Skies have never seen the moon tender, as is this!
Apparition of a man11, old and noble, sleeps
In the cemetery filled with a sorrow deep,
With a daisy12 and a rose under merry stars...
Oh, these sites are haunted oft by the lonely bard 13...
Fain would die I as a swan singing on the lake,
But to say how night has looked into soul in pains,
How the dream has spread its wings reaching distant skies
When the sails of navy blue set are for the heights;
Through the dying voice of souls when the hope is lost
Waterfalls and roses change in the songs of swans,
For a man in oceans born when the end is close,
Oh, the path of death is none but of sweet pink rose;
On this path as fairy tales are the poets deeds,
There is none of darkened nights silent as is this,
And I say: Ill greet my death being so close to ghosts,
With my songs I die a king and a poet most,
Through the ages, but with you, harp of mine will live
Skies have never seen the moon tranquil, as is this!

35

meri
Sen jvars iwerdi im Rames, meri!
meri, im Rames mag TvalTa kvdoma,
sandomian cis elva da feri
mwuxare iyo, viT Semodgoma!
afeTqebuli da mocaxcaxe
iwoda naTel alTa krebuli,
magram sanTlebze ufro eg saxe
iyo idumal gafiTrebuli.
iwoda taZris gumbaTi, kalTa,
vardTa dioda neli surneli,
magram lodiniT daRalul qalTa
sxva aris locva ganukurneli.
mesmoda Seni ugono fici...
meri, Zvirfaso! dResac ar mjera...
vici wameba, magram ar vici:
es glova iyo Tu jvariswera?
lodebTan viRac mwared godebda
da beWdebis Tvlebs qarSi kargavda...
iyo obloba da Secodeba,
dResaswauls ki is dRe ar hgavda.
taZridan gasuls nabiji Cqari
sad matarebda? xedva mimZimda!
quCaSi mZafri dahqroda qari
da ganuwyvetlad wvimda da wvimda.
nabadi tanze Semovixvie,
Tavi mivande fiqrs Seuwyvetels;
oh! Seni saxli! me saxlTan iqve
Rone-mixdili mivaweq kedels.
36

Mary
You were married that night, Mary!
Mary, that night your eyes were dimmed,
The glints and hues of Heavens weary
With autumns sadness overfilled!
Blasting and trembling, waving higher,
Blazed brightness of the burning flames,
I could with candles but compare
The secret paleness of thy face.
Dome of the church and walls on fire,
Slow fragrance of roses was spread,
Prayer of women, hopeful and tired,
Sounded but desperate and mad.
Faintly I heard your thoughtless vow...
Though never believed it... my dear!
Torture it was, but knew not how
Wedding turned into grief and fear.
Here someone wailed close to the walls
Losing bright gemstones in the wind...
The bells for orphans in mind tolled,
It was not merriment indeed.
I left the church and quickly paced
Towards the roads! Could hardly see!
The heavy wind blew in my face,
It rained and rained, and waters streamed.
I wrapped around my dark flint cape,
Unceasing thoughts strayed in my mind;
Then leaned against your dwelling place!
The only home that I could find.
37

ase mwuxare videqi didxans

da Cems win Savi, swori verxvebi
aSrialebdnen foTlebs bnelxmians,
rogorc gafrenil arwivis frTebi.
da Srialebda toti verxvisa,
raze _ vin icis! vin icis, meri!
bedi, romelic me ar meRirsa _
qars mihyveboda, rogorc namqeri.
sTqvi: uecari gasxivosneba
rad Caqra ase? vis vevedrebi?
rad aSrialda Cemi ocneba,
rogorc gafrenil arwivis frTebi?
an
an
an
an

cas RimiliT rad gavcqerodi,

rad viWerdi Suqs mokamkames?
`mesaflaves~ risTvis vmRerodi,
vin ismenda Cems `me da Rames~?

qari da wvimis wveTebi xSiri

wydebodnen, rogorc mwydeboda guli
da me avtirdi _ viT mefe liri,
liri, yvelasgan mitovebuli.
1915

38

Before me stood tall aspen trees,

Straight, black, deploring, greeting me,
Rustling with noise dark-sounded leaves,
Just as an eagles fluttering wings.
I heard the moaning voice of leaves,
Though never clear it did ring,
The only message I could feel
My luck was gone, gone with the wind.
Mary, pray tell me, why the light
All went away just like my dream?
Why did it flutter on its flight,
As if an eagles mighty wings?
Why gazed at Heavens I with smiles?
Why caught the sight of beaming rays?
In vain sang my Grave Diggers14 lines,
The Night And I15 of doleful days?
The wind, the rain with drops so clear
Were breaking like the heart, all seared,
Anguish and pain no one could hear,
I wept, forlorn, as if King Lear.

39

gzaSi
I
lurji aCrdili cxel haerSi dgas,
ismis nacnobi JrJola simindis,
zuzuni gaaqvs ubinao skas,
oh! samudamod dawyevlil sindiss.
suls enatreba Zveli zRapari!
warsuli wminda iyo am qalis _
rogorc sofelSi samreklos zari,
rogorc yanebSi elva namgalis.
rodis movida codvebis grova
da jojoxeTi... miTxari, rodis?
dabrunda suli da veRar hpova
rame, garda gzis da civi lodis.
II
mindvrebi, mTebi da zRva yanebi
mzeze elvarebs namebiT sveli,
kvlav uzrunvelad miveqanebi
uCvevad kargi da fexSiSveli.
mokluli viyav ucxo zmanebiT,
damwvari viyav qalaqis qafiT,
xelebi ar TrTis xelTaTmanebiT!
suli ar tiris Savi niRabiT!
III
mwvane WalebSi afrinda mwyeri,
gafrinda RalRa, mihqris torola.
40

On the Road

I
The blue ghost stands in the hot air,
From fields of maize the shivers heard,
A homeless hive is humming there,
Like consciousness forever cursed.
The soul is missing fairy tales!
The ladys past was pure and good
Like chapels bell on country veils,
Like lightning of a reaping hook.
When did the mass of sins arrive?
When did hell come with all its moans?
The soul came back to meet and find
The lonely road and cold grave stones.
II
Vast cornfields, veils and mountains huge
Are shining bright with wet fresh dews,
Im careless and I rush barefoot,
To what I guess was never used.
But I was killed by strange, odd dreams
And burned was I by city foam,
My hands are never gloved indeed!
No mask can hide the weeping soul!
III
A quail has flown from deep green groves,
A snipe is up, high is a lark,
41

mwvane talRebis midis mewyeri

ismis jejilis marao-qrola.
sadme yru adgils davesaxlebi
sxva saukunis mgzavri gviani,
sadac iqneba cofi naklebi
da ufro nakleb adamiani.
ca laJvardia... dRe aris Tbili,
mze aris mware... gza aris cxeli.
kmara! movSordi SfoTian tfiliss!
arc msurs maxsovdes misi saxeli!
IV
da erTaderTi nazi daraji
gadifrens Tvalwin aCrdili meris!
aramqveyniur uzundaraSi
gaiyoliebs sulis siberes.
ar dabrundeba am mxares cecxli
warsulTa dReTa sxvanair mxaris;
exla umiznod midis sicocxle
da dabruneba mainc mixaris.
mxolod xandaxan qari Searyevs
odnav gaRebuls karebs baRisas,
Sriali gaaqvT Zvelebur aryebs,
sxva cxovrebisTvis TiTqo maRviZebs!
V
aq mravalia cisferi feri!
es feri marad Tvals eyvareba,
rogorc qalwulis saxeli _ meri
aris cisferi da mwuxareba.
42

As if in green waves landslide moves,

Fan-flutters heard of fresh grown grass.
Ill find a lonely place for home
A traveller of other times,
Less rabies will disturb, I hope,
With fewer men to greet my sight.
The skys azure... the day is warm,
The sun is bitter... the road hot,
From anxious town I am away!
I wish I never knew its name!
IV
The only guardian of mine,
The shade, refined, of Mary flies!
To carry off through dance and smile
My worn-out soul to Heavens high.
The fire will never haunt the sites
To bring those memories aback;
Though aimless life flows fast and flies,
Still I am happy to be back.
From time to time a gale emerges
To shake an orchard gate at large,
The foliage shivers, rustle birches,
As if to wake me up for love.
V
Blue hues are many and they vary,
With them the eyesre ever in love,
As if a name The Virgin Mary,
Thats always blue, in sorrow plunged.
43

gaxede Sors mTebs! gaxede serebs!

gaxede talRebs Caqsovils tbaSi.
cisferi ise ucxod iferebs
samosels dReTa elvarebaSi.
suli eZaxis im uCinar tyves,
visac sizmrebSi uxsnian bages,
iisTvis eZebs iisfer sityvebs
da cisfer sityviT eZebs ciagebs.
1916

44

Look at the mountains and the slopes!

Look at the lake with woven waves.
The light blue colour strangely copes
With bright attires of sunny days.
Soul calls a captive never seen,
Whose lips are open on night dreams
To find for violets lilac words,
To find light beams through light blue words.

45

Sen zRvis pirad

zRvas saRamo edeboda muqi.
Sen zRvis pirad sCandi, rogorc Suqi.
me pirveli maxsovs Seni naxva,
gaoceba! mSvenieri zraxva.
rogorc Sori xomaldebis cqera,
viT pirveli grZnobiT gulis Zgera.
irxeoda gamWvirvale ruli
da mtkioda... da mtkioda guli.
im xomaldebs samudamod gahyva
gaoceba, mSvenieri zraxva.
1916

46

When You Walked Along The Sea

Darkness spread along the sea at night,
You appeared as a beam of light.
I remember first and foremost
A sudden stare! Beauty of my thoughts.
Like the sight of distant, distant ships,
And the beating of the heart that feels.
Somnolence was swinging with the mast,
Oh, how deeply... deeply ached my heart.
With those ships forever went offshore
A sudden stare, beauty of my thoughts.

47

Semosilni gamWvirvale blondebiT

Semosilno gamWvirvale blondebiT,
yrmobis qarno, neta rad magondebiT?
tydeba guli, erTxel gaibzara ra,
arara beds CemTvis ar aqvs arara.
sastikia suli uamondoTa,
gana qveynad bevri rame mindoda?
Semosilno gamWvirvale blondebiT,
yrmobis qarno, neta rad magondebiT?
1916

48

All Dressed in Transparent and Lacy Veils

All dressed in transparent and lacy veils,
My days of youth, why haunt you me in gales?
My heart is breaking, it so often ached,
Ill-luck has nothing left for me to take.
The soul with weather foul is harsh and strict,
I never asked for much in life, indeed!
All dressed in transparent and lacy veils,
My days of youth, why haunt you me in gales?

49

Tovli
me Zlier miyvars iisfer Tovlis
qalwulebiviT xididan fena,
mwuxare grZnoba civi sisovlis
da siyvarulis ase moTmena.
Zvirfaso! suli mevseba TovliT:
dReebi rbian da me vberdebi!
Cems samSobloSi me movvle mxolod
udabno lurjad naxaverdebi.
oh! aseTia Cemi cxovreba:
ianvars moZmed ar veZnelebi,
magram me mudam memaxsovreba
Seni TovliviT mkrTali xelebi.
Zvirfaso! vxedav... vxedav Sens xelebs,
uRonod daxrils TovlTa dafnaSi.
ielvebs, qreba da kvlav ielvebs
Seni mandili am udabnoSi...
amitom miyvars iisfer Tovlis
Cveni mdinaris xididan fena,
mwuxare grZnoba qrolis, mimovlis
da zambaxebis wyebad dawvena.
Tovs! aseTi dRis xarebam lurji
da daRaluli sizmriT damTova.
rogorme zamTars Tu gadavurCi,
rogorme qarma Tu mimatova!
aris gza, aris neli TamaSi...
da Sen midixar marto, sul marto!
me Tovli miyvars, rogorc Sens xmaSi
erT dros faruli dardi miyvarda!
miyvarda maSin, maTrobda maSin
mSvidi dReebis TeTri broleba,
mindvris foTlebi Sens daSlil TmaSi
da Tmebis qariT gamoqroleba.
momwyurdi exla, ise momwyurdi,
50

Snow
Im fond of flakes of violet snow
Like virgins falling from a bridge,
A doleful touch of wetness cold
To bear the pains of Love in me.
My soul is, darling, filled with snow:
Im getting old, my days run fast!
The land I paced in native home
A desert blue with velvet paths.
This is my life: Im not at odds
With friendly January at all,
But I shall ever have in thoughts
Your hands, your hands, as pale as snow.
Oh, darling! See I... see your hands
In laurel snowed, bent in relief,
Ive seen your veil in desert lands
Though disappearing in between...
Thats why I love the violet snow,
Flakes falling from our rivers bridge,
The layers of iris in low rows,
A doleful touch of winds that whirl.
T snows! And Lady Day in winter
Has covered me with tired blue dreams.
If I could but survive this winter,
If winds could spare me and leave!
There are the roads and games we meet...
You walk alone without recourse!
I love the snow as loved that grief,
Concealed in tender voice of yours!
Oh, then I loved, I truly loved
The peaceful days of crystal white,
In your loose hair the leaves were cast,
Your hair was blowing then so high.
I long for you, I long just like

51

viT ubinaos _ yofna binaSi...

TeTri tyeebis momyveba gundi
da kvlav marto var me Cems winaSe.
Tovs! amnair dRis xarebam lurji
da daRaluli fifqiT damTova.
rogorme zamTars Tu gadavurCi!
rogorme qarma Tu mimatova!
1916

52

A homeless longs, longs for his home...

A flock of woods near me is white
To find myself still all alone.
T snows! And Lady Day in winter
Has covered me with tired blue sheets.
If I could but survive this winter!
If winds could spare me and leave!

53

cameti wlis xar

cameti wlis xar da Seni tyvea
WaRara gulis zmaneba avi, _
CaawyveT rigSi cameti tyvia,
cametjer unda movikla Tavi!
gaivlis kidev cameti weli,
moaxlovdeba gza ocdaeqvsi,
mocelavs maRal zambaxebs celi,
atirdeba dro da Cemi leqsi.
oh, rogor midis axalgazrdoba _
daundobeli survili lomis!
da yovelive rogor nazdeba,
roca axloa mze Semodgomis.
1916

54

You Are Thirteen

You are thirteen and have enslaved
An evil dream in this grey heart, _
Ill kill myself thirteen times, hey!
Load thirteen bullets one by one.
Thirteen more years will fly with time,
The road of twenty six will start,
Iris will fall beneath the scythe,
Time and my poems into tears burst.
Time goes, time flies, with time flies youth,
The ruthless will of lions goes!
Soon all seems tender, all is soothed,
The autumn sun when is so close.

55

ar aris igi imdenad tkbili

ar aris igi imdenad tkbili
dro, dafaruli cecxlis enebiT,
magram arc ise mware aqvs kbili
sawamlavebiT da SeCvenebiT.
man SeaCvia sofels satana,
jojoxeTuri ali qurebis,
raTa SemdegSi SesZlos atana
ufro saSinel ganadgurebis.
1917

56

Its Never Sweet As It May Seem

Its neer as sweet as it may seem,
Oh, Time, thats full of burning fire,
But not so bitter are its teeth
With poison, cursing, ill desire.
Time brought the devil from his Hell,
To make accustomed to the world,
The flames of forges to withstand,
Destruction coming out of hand.

57

im vardisfer atmebs movigoneb kvlav...

imgvaradve mdev... imgvaradve mklav.
o, rogor momwyurdi! mwuxarea dRe.
imgvarive ca, imgvarive xe...
igiv qari dahqris, iRuneba bza.
imgvarive mze, imgvarive gza.
Zlier... Zlier... Zlier... vetyvi zena qars
imgvarive xmiT imgvarive zars.
1917

58

Peach-blossom clings still to my mind.

You haunt again and kill me, why?
I long for you! And mourns the day.
The sky, the way they seem the same.
The same wind blows, the willow bows.
The same sun shines, same is the road.
Be strong... strong... strong... I say to winds
With voice the same the similar ring.

59

(ZRvnad ol-ols)
ori zRva Sexvda erTimeores,
erTi _ qariSxlis, meore _ mSvidis,
maT aRtacebiT ganimeores,
rom dro axali imediT midis.
feeriul navs scildeba kordi,
amayi lordi dgas, droa Zveli.
bairons usmens meri Cavorti
da feradebSi miscuravs Selli.
talRebi sTvlemen, viT Sori bedi
da napirebTan misuli navi,
zvirTebTan erTad oxravs miledi
da poeziis daiZra zvavi.
1917

60

*
(to Ol-ol)16

The two great seas have met each other17.

Stormy is one, calm is the other.
Both in excitement are saying anew:
The lifes coming soon with hopes so new.
Green turfs parting from a fairy boat,
The proud lord is standing, time is old.
To Byrons words is harking Mary18,
Through colours fine is floating Shelley.
A boat is swinging low by the shore,
The wavesre dozing like a fate remote.
With billows high is sighing my lady,
A snow slide of Poesys gliding.

61

angelozs eWira grZeli pergamenti

angelozs eWira grZeli pergamenti,
mwuxare TvalebiT miwas dahyurebda.
mSvidobiT, mSvidobiT! amaod dagende,
elvare saRamov almas sayureTa!
bageTa locvao, dideba da Zeglo,
uTuod maxseneb odesme... odesme!
graalis koSkebi, lidiis samreklo
Sens fexTqveS daimsxvra da glova momesma.
oh! rogor gafiTrda ciurTa Tanadi
ocneba, naxazi saganTa uariT,
Rrubeli feradi da alva tanadi,
romelsac aziis ciT gadauareT.
angelozs eWira grZeli pergamenti
da foTlebs isroda sifiTre baraTis.
amaod dagende, da Cven erTmaneTi
amaod gvindoda! mSvidobiT maradis!
qarvaTa morevSi daeSva fardebi
saRamo kankalebs SiSiT da ridobiT,
saRamo neldeba da kvdeba vardebi...
mSvidobiT, mSvidobiT, mSvidobiT!..
1917

62

The Angel Was Holding a Long Parchment

The angel was holding a long parchment,
With sorrowful eyes gazing down on earth,
Farewell, farewell! In vain I trusted you,
Evening all sparkling with earrings of gems!
Prayer of lips, a mans fame and monument,
I know, will mention me one day, but well!
The towers of Graal19, the Lydian20 chapel,
Now, all are destroyed at your feet as well.
I heard the sounds of mourning, deep mourning,
Paler grew heavenly light of a dream,
All striped along with refusals of life.
Tall poplars, pink clouds and cheerful beams
Flew we then over those vast Asian skies,
Whiteness of manuscript cast over the leaves.
The angel still gazed with sorrowful eyes,
We longed for each other in vain indeed.
The curtain fell down in gulfs of amber,
Evening is trembling in fright, disarray,
Roses are dying and twilight is tendered
Farewell, farewell, farewell to thee away!..

63

silaJvarde anu vardi silaSi

dedao RvTisav, mzeo mariam!
rogorc nawvimar silaSi vardi,
Cemi cxovrebis gza sizmaria
da Soreuli cis silaJvarde.
SemoiRamebs mTis napralebi,
da Tu rogorme isev gaTenda
RamenaTevi da namTvralevi,
daRlil qaliviT mival xatebTan!
RamenaTevi da namTvralevi
me miveyrdnobi salocav karebs,
SemoiWreba sionSi sxivi
da TeTr olarebs aaelvarebs.
da maSin vityvi: aha! movedi
gedi daWrili ocnebis baRiT!
Sexede! dastkbi ymawvilur bedis
daRlil xelebiT, wamebul saxiT!
Sexede! dastkbi! Cemi Tvalebi,
winaT rom feTqdnen cvrebiT, iebiT,
RamenaTevi da namTvralevi
savsea cremlTa SurisZiebiT!
dastkbi! asea yvela mgosnebi?
Sens molodinSi asea yvela?
suli, vedrebiT ganaocebi,
Sens ferxT qveS kvdeba, rogorc pepela.
sad aris CemTvis samagiero?
sabedniero sad aris suli?
viT samoTxidan aligieri,
me jojoxeTiT var dafaruli!
64

Azure-Land or Rose in Sand

Ave Maria, Sunny Virgin!
As if a rose in rain-soaked sand,
My lifes dream, in sleep imagined,
Of skies remote and azure-land.
The night descends on mountain sides,
And if the sun can ever rise
Then as a weary woman sighing,
Ill walk to icons greeting light!
And after sleepless drunken nights
Ill rest myself on sacred doors,
Sunbeams will enter, burning bright,
Illuminating snow-white stoles.
Then I will say: Ive come, a swan,
Wounded by the garden of dreams!
Look and enjoy! The fate of one
With worn out hands, exhausted mien!
Look and enjoy! What has become
Of eyes that flashed with violet dews,
From sleepless drunken nights in sum,
Are filled with tears of vengeful hues!
All bards! Do they the same fate share
As tortured thus by your retreat?
And then the soul in wonder-pray,
Like butterflies dies at your feet.
I guess, this fortune never meant
To make me happier or wise,
With Hell now I am overwhelmed
Like Dante was in Paradise!
65

da roca bediT dawyevlil gzaze

sikvdilis landi momeCveneba,
gansasvenebel ziarebaze
CemTan ar mova Seni xseneba!
davikref xelebs da grigaliviT
gamaqaneben swrafi cxenebi!
RamenaTevi da namTvralevi
Cems samareSi Cavesvenebi.
dedao RvTisav, mzeo mariam!
rogorc nawvimar silaSi vardi,
Cemi cxovrebis gza sizmaria
da Soreuli cis silaJvarde!
1917

66

When on my way, accursed by fate,

I see the ghost of cruel Death,
Ill never meet your name or face
With Eucharist at my last breath!
Ill cross my hands, like hurricane
Will horses forward me ahead!
From drunken sleepless nights I came,
Now rush to grave my final bed.
Ave Maria, Sunny Virgin!
As if a rose in rain-soaked sand,
My lifes dream, in sleep imagined,
Of skies remote and azure-land!

67

silaSi vardi
xedav am yvavils? gazafxulis mze
raRac ucnaur grZnebas axvevda...
man ar icoda yofna mSfoTare,
man ar icoda mwuxri da sevda.
is qariSxals ar mouwyvetia,
radgan xalisiT ucqerda zeca;
ara, is mSobel buCqs TavisTavad
moswyda da mtvrian gzaze daeca.
aRar uRimis exla mze yvavils
da arc yvavili amSvenebs mdelos;
neba aqvs zecas, sul daaWknos is,
brbosac neba aqvs, fexiT gasTelos!
1917 (?)

68

A Rose In Sand21
Look at this flower! The sun in spring
Created magic over her...
She22 never knew a troubled being,
Of sorrow never overheard.
She was not plucked by storm or wind,
She viewed the skies with joy the most,
It happened so that from a twig
It fell itself on dusty road.
No more the rose the fields adorns,
No more the sun now smiles on her;
The skies have right to fade her all
And mobs have right to trample her!

69

mas gaxelili darCa Tvalebi

mzeo TibaTvis, yofna umzeo!
mze miicvala Ria TvalebiT!
is miicvala raRac umweo
da saocari gardacvalebiT!
mas gaxelili darCa Tvalebi,
oh! gaxelili darCa Tvalebi!
is ucxo mxares gardaicvala
da gaxelili darCa Tvalebi!
da es Tvalebi saRamoTa xmas
usmendnen tanjviT da mokrZalebiT:
mas gaxelili darCa Tvalebi,
oh, gaxelili darCa Tvalebi!
ra xdeba iqiT! saidan ismis
mgloviareTa qnarTa: `mSvidobiT~?
uecrad swyveten simebi sicils
uamindobiT... uamindobiT!
saidan ismis Cumi galoba
da uRonoba sunTqvis Semwydaris,
wamebis wynari warmavaloba
da mogoneba Zvirfasi mkvdaris?
midis zafxuli... baRSi, mdeloSi
sisinebs sio, Srialebs neSo,
me isev aq var... saqarTveloSi!
risTvis, Zvirfaso! risTvis, nugeSo?
da es Tvalebi serafimTa xmas
usmendnen tanjviT da mokrZalebiT,
mas gaxelili darCa Tvalebi,
oh! gaxelili darCa Tvalebi!
70

Her Eyes Stayed Open As She Died

The sun of haying month, a sunless life!
The sun has died with open eyes!
She23 died with somewhat helpless death,
It was a strange and feeble death!
Her eyes stayed open! Oh, her eyes!
Her eyes stayed open as she died.
She died afar in foreign lands,
With eyes still open lay she dead!
These eyes then harked to voice of Eves
With shyness, torture and goodwill:
Her eyes stayed open! Oh, her eyes,
Her eyes stayed open as she died!
But what is there! From where is heard
With mourning harps Farewell, Farewell?
The weathers foul... Oh, what a day!
The strings ceased smiling on their way.
From where the silent chant is heard
And weakness of the broken breath,
And transience of the tranquil time,
Remembrance of a dear one died?
Elapses summer from the fields,
The foliage rustles, breathes a breeze,
I am in Georgia, still at home!
But why, my dear! But why, my hope?
These eyes hark when the seraphs sing
With shyness, torture and goodwill,
Her eyes stayed open! Oh, her eyes,
Her eyes stayed open as she died!
71

mival, mimyveba me Seni cqera

da xaverdebze ecema Crdili,
yvelgan uCinrad tiris cerera,
Tvalebi civi da gaxelili.
Rirda Tu ara sxva sicocxleze
ocneba Cumi da fermixdili?
me gza ar vici uaxloesi:
erTaderTi gza aris sikvdili.
mas gaxelili darCa Tvalebi,
oh, gaxelili darCa Tvalebi!
is ucxo mxares gardaicvala
da gaxelili darCa Tvalebi!
1918

72

I pass as followed by your glance

And shadows fall on velvet paths,
Oh, Ceres sobs where ere by stealth,
Her icy eyes are open still.
And was it worth to dream away
The other life but on the sly?
I never know the shortest way:
The only way is way to die.
Her eyes stayed open! Oh, her eyes!
Her eyes stayed open as she died.
She died afar in foreign lands,
With eyes still open lay she dead!

73

stiroda suli cisfer Rvinoebs

stiroda suli cisfer Rvinoebs,
Rvino eZebda sul sxvas piriqiT
da Semdeg ucnob pianinoebs
atrialebda tanjvis lirikiT.
rogorc mravali vardebis mfeni,
mas suli hqonda uxvad ciuri,
masSi mravali iyo Sopeni
da paganini fantastiuri.
mas saqarTvelom gadauzniqa
verxvebi Sori alazanisa
da ai, exla misi musika
Cveni islebis rxevam danisla.
mSvenieria efeqti misi
iq, sadac sityva Tavdeba Zveli,
odes Tavisi da ara sxvisi
cremlebiT Tvali ubrwyinavs sveli.
1919

74

The Soul Wept Out With Light Blue Wines

The soul wept out with light blue wines,
But wine then searched for someone else
And whirled the piano keys meanwhile
With lyric of tormenting tense.
With gift of spreading blooming roses
The soul was full of Heavens spell,
Contained it much of Chopins music
And Paganinis fancy realm.
Tall aspen trees of Alazani24
By Georgia bent low for mans fame,
Its music then, all of a sudden,
Got misty through our Carex waves.
Effect is fine and overwhelming,
Plain words are over, worn and old,
And eyes in tears, gently melting,
Are sparkling wet but never cold.

75

poezia _ upirveles yovlisa!

suli gvqondes usptakes Tovlisa!
megobrebo, sikvdilamdis meqneba
mxolod erTi sixarulis Segneba:
poezia _ upirveles yovlisa!
Tavdadebul brZolebisTvis naxevar
gzad daRlili arvis ar vunaxivar,
marad manTebs Suqi sveticxovlisa:
poezia _ upirveles yovlisa!
sikvdiliviT maradia survili
mTeli qveynis simRerebiT movlisa,
yvelaferSi SuqiT Semoburvili:
poezia _ upirveles yovlisa!
Tu samSoblo mainc ar momeferos,
me movkvdebi, rogorc poets Sehferis.
simRerebi xalisis da brZolisa:
poezia _ upirveles yovlisa!
1920

76

Poesy, Poesy First And Foremost!

To have a soul thats purer than the snow!
Dear friends, till death I promise to be true
To boundless joy that ever keeps and proves:
Poesy, Poesy first and foremost!
No one has ever seen me on the way
Half tired in the wars for dearest goals,
Inspired as ever by the beam of faith:
Poesy, Poesy first and foremost!
It always lives and follows me as Death
Desire to pace my country with sweet songs,
Dressed with a light thats guiding me ahead:
Poesy, Poesy first and foremost!
But if my country fails to treat me well,
Yes! Ill die a death, a poets name deserves.
With songs of merriment, of fight and loss:
Poesy, Poesy first and foremost!

77

cxovreba Cemi
cxovreba Cemi uankares Rvinis feria,
igi elvarebs, sabolood daSreba vidre,
masSi dideba poetisa me davimkvidre,
romlis gareSe _ ukvdavebac araferia.
TeTri dReebis isev ise mihyveba dasi,
ar momwyindeba sadRegrZelod avwio Tasi
Tqveni, romelTa gataceba... mxolod... Jinia.
me arc warsulis, arc momavlis ar meSinia.
1922

78

My Life
My life is like the purest, purest wine,
It shines and dazzles till is dried all up,
Through it established I a poets fame,
Save this, immortality never lasts.
Im never tired to toast to you, for whom
A passion... is a mere whim... that tortures,
A whole host of days, white days, now moves,
Im feared neither for my past nor future.

79

qari hqris...
qari hqris, qari hqris, qari hqris,
foTlebi mihqrian qardaqar...
xeTa rigs, xeTa jars rkalad xris,
sada xar, sada xar, sada xar?..
rogor wvims, rogor Tovs, rogor Tovs,
ver gpoveb verasdros... verasdros!
Seni me saxeba damdevs Tan
yovel dros, yovelTvis, yovelgan!..
Sori ca nislian fiqrebs scris...
qari hqris, qari hqris, qari hqris!..
1924

80

Whirls the Wind

Whirls the wind, whirls the wind, whirls the wind
And the leaves whirl from wind still to wind
Rows of trees, lines of trees bend in arch,
Where art thou, where art thou, why so far?..
How it rains, how it snows, how it snows,
Where to find, where to find... Never know!
But pursued, but pursued by your eyes
All the time, everywhere, every time!..
Distant skies drizzle thoughts mixed with mist
Whirls the wind, whirls the wind, whirls the wind!..

81

Sindisis Wadrebs
oro Wadaro, wyvilo Wadaro,
Semoxveulno SuqTa badrebiT, _
o, me ar vici, ras SegadaroT,
an ucxoeTSi rad menatrebiT?
kvlav gaxveviaT oqros zewari
da Semodgomis mkrTali blondebi?
me, uTvistomo da garewari,
Tqven gagixsenebT da davRondebi.
TqvenTan rbiodnen naTelni dReni,
locva bavSvuri, feri geduri,
exla rad mesmis Sriali Tqveni,
rogorc tirili da sayveduri?
1925

82

To the Plane Trees of Shindisi25

For you, two slender plane-trees,
I hardly find a true compare,
You used to shine with brilliant beams,
In distant climes I find nowhere!
Are you in golden veils clad still?
Does autumn bring a thin pale lace?
A profligate without a kin,
Ill think of you in gloomy ways.
When childish prayers had hues of swans,
Nice days with you were running fast,
As if reproach in farewell calls,
In ears the sounds of flutter last!

83

avadmyofs
Sexede: vardni mSvidi TvalebiT
sZleben naridni msubuq ZalebiT,
vardebi ufro keTilSobili
kvdebian swrafi gardacvalebiT.
gayviTlebula midamo-are
SemoZarculi mTebiT moare.
favnma siciliT movlo mTa-veli
da ara erTi mohkla yvavili.
Semodgomaa tkivili Cumi
da xelis gulTa nazi qavili.
yviTelo, Cemo yviTelo vardo,
STenilxar marto, sruliad marto.
riTmebis garda araferi maqvs...
riTi gagarTo? rogor gagarTo?
1925

84

To A Sick Person
Look at the roses with their quiet eyes,
Surviving with light strenght they are alive.
But other roses of much nobler sort
They die so fast, the sight of them is lost.
The ambience is yellow all around,
It is surrounded by stripped bare mounts,
A faun in laughter paced the mounts and fields,
And many, many flowers it did kill.
Its autumn now and silent is the pain,
A tender itch I feel in palm so pale.
How shall I please, how to amuse you, how?
All withered, withered, left alone youre now.
My yellow rose, oh, yellow rose of mine,
I guess, you know, that all I have are rhymes...

85

sasaflaoni
sarkofagidan dgeba mumia. ra siCumea. haeri
lurji abreSumia.
orxideebi ecema niloss, ros mxurvaleba
qviSaze kvnesis,
unda, rom suli ar miisilos, unda samare
hpovos ramzesis.
is iyo mefe. exlaa mtveri, rom saukuneT rigi
gariyos,
ar SeuZlia iyos pirferi, ar SeuZlia mtveri ar
iyos.
da saukuneT rigs Tvlis mumia: mziani dRea Tu
samumia.
1925

86

Graveyards
A mummy rises. Oh, look there! What silence. Blue silk is
the air.
A sarcophagus. All is quiet. Orchids are falling on the Nile,
The heat is groaning and strives, to free the soul from sand
meanwhile,
To find the coffin Ramses lay. He was the king, but now
is clay,
Hypocrisy is not his way, he cant be other than mere clay.
A mummy counts the ages there: a sunny day or simoom26
flares.

87

me ara erTxel mqonia frTebi

me ara erTxel mqonia frTebi
Tavbrudamxvevi simaRliT mqroli,
lurji trialiT brunavden mTebi
da iryeoda laJvardi broli.
da ara erTxel migrZvnia maSin,
rom is miwebi sxva miwebia,
damviwyebia mowamlva SxamiT,
magram kivilSi gamRviZebia.
vyofilvar bevrjer sikvdilis pirad,
omSi minaxavs cecxlis vardebi,
im simaRleebs vigoneb xSirad:
ar maviwydeba is laJvardebi.
1925

88

I Have Had Wings Not Only Once

I have had wings not only once
To dash me swift to giddy heights,
The mounts revolved in dark blue whirls,
Azure was swinging crystal bright.
And I have felt not only once
Those lands are different and strange,
I have forgotten poisoned was,
But then I shrieked myself awake.
I often faced the Death, the end,
In wars the fiery roses met,
Those heights I often recollect:
Azure, azure, I cant forget.

89

iare, kaci Sen aRar gqvian!

gaswie! Rame eSveba zewrad,
mwared Srialebs tyeTa kalTebi,
maxlobel demons igrZnob uecrad
da SiSis CrdiliT akankaldebi.
iare! gahyev gzas SoriT Soriss,
maisTa cecxli Sen ar gaosebs,
mwuxarebaTa ulevTa Soris
iseve xedav axal qaosebs.
gaaxel Tvalebs _ iqneba gvian,
daxuWav, mainc ca ar enTeba...
iare, kaci Sen aRar gqvian,
SenTvis arasdros ar gaTendeba.
ra uyav Sens suls, odesme keTils,
qveynad rom surda cecxlis modeba?
exla imav suls daRlils, dafleTils,
daxedav da ar Segecodeba.
ikivleb maSin, magram arsidan
ar gipasuxebs udabureba,
iare! gzebi uSinaarso
isev burusiT daibureba.
1925

90

Walk Forward! You, No More a Man!

Be off! The night in sheets descends,
Dark woods in bitter rustle fight,
The kindred demon will be felt
To make you tremble in a fright.
Walk forward! Follow onward roads,
The fire of Mays wont tire you out,
Among the endless line of moans
Youll feel again that new, new chaos.
You open your eyes and see its late,
You close your eyes the skies wont flare.
Walk forward, you, no more a man,
The dawn at you will never glare.
What happened to your soul, so kind?
Its worn out now, rent in pieces,
It dreamed to stir the world with light,
You look at it and never pity.
You shriek but no one will respond,
You meet the roads all empty, dull
In darkness shrouded and obscured.
Walk forward! Now its late, its done.

91

laJvard caze dRea TeTri kravebis

laJvard caze dRea TeTri kravebis,
dasavleTis kari Catyda zmorebiT;
unazesi ismis xma sakravebis,
baRebs iqiT, sadRac, gadaSorebiT.
mzis gadasvlam sivrceebi dawminda,
ibindeba, ibindeba mTawminda.
ah, eg Tmebi, Cems saxes rom exeba,
Suqma kargi mogonebiT SeReba.
iyo omi, iyo cecxlis droeba,
lodinia exla da myudroeba.
cidan mTebze eSvebian kravebi,
daRaluli wydeba xma sakravebis.
1925

92

The Azure Skies Are Covered With White Lambs

The azure skies are covered with white lambs,
With lazy stretching the West doors collapsed,
The finest sounds of harps and pipes are heard
Away from gardens all is where at rest.
The setting sun makes purer skies and clouds,
The late twilight is on the Holy Mount27.
The light with good remembrance can now paint,
Ah, hair of yours, that touches now my face.
There was a war, there were the fiery fights,
Now cosiness and pending of new times,
The lambs descend from Heaven to the mounts,
The weary sounds of harps and pipes die down.

93

celi kivis
celi kivis da velebi,
surneleba dadga TiviT.
Tivas Tibven mTibvelebi,
ca lurjia gumbaTiviT.
dros ar uyvars didxans dgoma
da yvavilebs arTmevs dibas,
male mova Semodgoma
da yvelafers gadaTibavs.
1926

94

The Scythe Is Screaming

The scythe is screaming in the fields,
You feel the flavour of haystacks,
Reapers are scything hay in fields,
Under blue skies, with breaking backs.
Time never loves to linger long,
Depriving flowers of fine silk,
Now autumn is to come so soon
To scythe all nature, everything.

95

dReTa karebTan vdgevar wuxiliT

dReTa karebTan vdgevar wuxiliT,
elvam aanTo cecxlis bugrebi,
ca memuqreba Weqa-quxiliT,
me damunjebiT cas vemuqrebi.
elvam aanTo cecxlis bugrebi,
xanjlebs davfarav isev iebiT,
me mters imave xmiT vemuqrebi,
rom mova CemTan monaniebiT.
1927

96

At Doors Of Days I Stand In Grief

At doors of days I stand in grief,
The lightning has just lit the fire,
The claps of thunder threaten me,
I threaten Heaven with a mute lyre.
The lightning has just lit the fire,
With violets I shall cover swords,
My threat to enemies is quiet,
Theyll come to me with deep remorse.

97

vardebi
me, zamTrisagan jaWvawyvetili,
nacnob baRisken mivemarTebi,
sad ferad ucxo, ynosvad keTili,
zamTar da zafxul hyvavis vardebi.
de, homirosis da hesiodes
feTqdnen vardebi maRla axrili,
maT ver damarxavs sastiki lodi,
samudamod var borkilayrili.
dae, maisis xatavdes xeli
floras, graciebs, muzebs da eross.
romeli iyo poeti wrfeli,
rom siyvarulze ar daemReros?
vardebi igi eladis gemma
dafanta, rogorc Zvirfasi Crdili,
rogorc saxeba da diadema
silamazisa da sinamdvilis.
romeli lxini iyo uvardo,
da an romeli dRe sacnauri,
an anakreons vin ganumartos,
raa uvardod dResaswauli?
saxeTa feri da netareba,
bage, TiTebi Tu yofna mzardi,
poets yovelTvis aqvs Sedareba:
maisis vardi, sicocxlis vardi.
marad izrdeba vardTan WinWari,
rogorc odesme uTqvams ovidis.
dae, movardes setyvaTa Rvari,
da cecxli Cemze gardamovides.
98

Roses28
Unchained from pains of wintry bondage
I pace towards a lovely park,
The whole year round where deep in foliage
Grow roses sweet and roses smart.
Let roses of Hesiod or Homer
Never miss beats when rising up,
No stones can ever press them over,
Ive cast the fetters off my harp!
Let hands of May draw wonder-pictures
Of muses, Eros, and of fleurs,
Its true, a poet sounds bewildered,
Who never speaks of love in words.
The ship of Hellas spread the roses
As if the dearest precious ghosts,
As if tiaras and the muses
Of life and beauty never lost.
No feast has ever been created
Without a rose, each artist knows,
Anacreon could ever make it
A holiday without a rose?
Refined ladies and blissful air,
The charm of being is rising high,
A poet can always well compare
A rose in May with rose of life.
With roses ever grows the nettle,
The poet Ovid used to say,
Let words in flows and torrents battle
With me alone, who burns at stake.
99

netavi CemTvis wuTebs ar eklos,

aivnidan rom mesvrian vardebs,
vardebs eklians, vardebs ueklos...
oh, am dReebis simRera mmarTebs!
o, siwmindeo da sifaqize!
Sen ver moaswar, ise dawynardi,
roca mziani iyavi ise,
rogorc uwvimar riJraJSi vardi.
da ornamentiT akrTobda demons
im mSvenieri wignebis Zala,
wignTa yovelTa maSindelT zemo
vardiT morTuli Cnda Tavis qala.
botiCels vardTa swvavda dRe igi,
rafaels igi faravda lxinSi,
sadac jioto da van-deiki
da leonardo iyo da-vinCi.
ixibleboda suli diadiT,
ros simaRleebs swvdeboda arsi.
rusTavels marad Svenoda vardi
iseTi hqonda vards Sinaarsi.
vigoneb TaRebs, vigoneb svetebs
da yvavilebiT moqargul fardebs,
maiss, kolxidas, Zvirfas poetebs
da kaTedrasTan mimoyril vardebs.
1927

100

Im sad to find the days run out,

In roses smothered when I stood,
Some were with thorns and some without...
I ought to praise them all as good!
Oh, purity, oh, grace of skies!
You managed little but calmed down,
You were so sunny, and appeared
As roses do in rainless dawns.
By ornaments was demon scared,
Those that embellished books fine, great,
Above the books a skull then glared,
Adorned with roses, all ornate.
How roses burned oft Botticelli,
How cherished Raphael at feasts,
Vandyke, and Giotto, and da Vinci,
Were those who haunted feasts at least.
The soul was charmed with all the great
When essence reached the high sublime,
For Rustaveli29 a rose was main
Companion on the path of life.
Recalling pillars and huge arches,
Curtains in flowery design,
May, Colchis,30 poets dearest artists,
At rostrum roses thrown meanwhile.

101

gulo, ra gemarTeba?
Semodgomis yvavilebs
didebasTan mivitan,
erTi Sori ocneba
maxsovs Zvel motividan.
vardebi ar arian,
magram ra mevardeba?
sulo, ra gemarTeba?
gulo, ra mogivida?
1927

102

Is Life Too Hard For You, My Heart?

Ill carry flowers of the fall
To the high mountains of mans fame,
It seems I scarcely can recall
A dream remote of those past days.
No roses ever are around,
I hardly care for them, my love,
Why are you sad, my darkened soul?
Is life too hard for you, my heart?

103

qari dascxra siboboqris,

Savi zRvidan sio moqris,
me gicqeri, rogorc oqros _
Camaval mzes, Camavals...
me gicqeri, rogorc qarvas,
SoriTSorad fiqri narvals,
Tan gaatans qarTa qarvas,
Camaval mzes, Camavals.
o, fiqrebo, msveno taZrad,
o, qceulno mtvrad da nacrad,
rad miyvebiT ase mkacrad
Camaval mzes, Camavals.

104

The winds of storms have now died out,

The streaming breeze from seas still lasts,
I look at you as if at gold,
Oh, big, declining, setting sun.
I look at you as if at amber
Like distant thoughts may view the ruts,
The whirls of winds all touched with amber
Will follow hence the setting sun.
The thoughts, that rest for long as temples!
Whats left of you? But mere dust!
You truly follow that ample,
The big declining setting sun.

105

qveyana gacvda, viT Zveli groSi,

udaburebad iqca sofeli.
nu gaocdebi, rom aseT droSi
mcire bedisac var madlobeli.
SeiZleboda, mqonoda suli
keTili, nazi, rogorc dobili,
magram cxovreba araa sruli,
mcire bedisac var kmayofili.
viT SeiZleba iqne lamazi,
roca sitlanqe modis mgmobeli,
droa, datovo fiqri amaze,
mcire bedisac var madlobeli.
saSineleba, sibnele, gesli,
demoniuri cecxlis profili,
boroto, sunTqva nu gamiZnele,
madlobeli var, var kmayofili!

106

The world is worn out like a coin,

Now life is empty and quite dark,
Dont be surprised if at this point
Im grateful for a little luck.
I could have had a soul, as gentle
As is my kindest sister, but
Lifes never full and ample,
Im satisfied with a little luck.
But how to be all nice and kind,
When clumsinesss attacking us,
Its time to leave the thoughts aside,
Keep grateful for a little luck.
Fear and darkness, malice, and even
The demonic profile of fires cut,
Dont make me cease to breathe, you, Evil,
Im grateful, happy with my luck!

107

sadRac Srialebs Waobi WyviSis,

SarasTan ori Zveli cacxvia;
iq bevri dardis da bevri SiSis
gadamtan gulTa ferfli awyvia.
xsovnac araa, gamqrala niSi;
ra siSiSvlea, ra sisawylea!

108

The marshes rustle in vil Chkvishi,31

There on the road are two old limes,
On barren grounds there lay the ashes
Of hearts that suffered much in life.
Gone are their names, are vanished niches,
How bleak and bare there seems the life.

109

ra caa!
Sexede, ra caa! _
es aris, racaa!
Sexede, am mxares! _
zRviT dila gvaxarebs!
Sexede, ra zRvaa!
o, es zRva sul sxvaa:
gulia, miwaa!..
ra caa, ra caa!
1946

110

Look At The Heavens!

Look at the Heavens!
Thats what eer happens!
Look at this clime!
The morn seems kind!
Look at this sea!
Marveloust feels.
The heart, the earth,
The skies are blessed!

111

qebaTa qeba nikorwmindas

maqvs mkerds midebuli
qnari, rogorc minda.
CemTvis didebuli
sxivi gamobrwyinda.
mkvidrad aaSena,
vinac aaSena
da ciT daamSvena
didi nikorwminda.
gznebiT damkargavi
grZneul CuqurTmebiT,
qargiT damqargavi
nazi SuqurTmebiT,
neta vin azida,
an rogor azida,
ra xelma azida
maRla nikorwminda!
ra ganZi gvqonia,
ra mxne, ra mdidari,
JRers qvis harmonia _
darobs ramdi dari.
kargad gamohkveTa,
vinac gamohkveTa,
sibrZniT gamohkveTa
mZlavri nikorwminda.
aq rom TaRebia,
svetTa Sekoneba,
ise nagebia,
sizmris gegoneba.
neta vin aago,
ra niWma aago,
112

In Praise of Nikortsminda32
Im holding my lyre
As close as I wish,
A glamorous light
For me has been lit.
How solidly built
And adorned with skies,
Great Nikortsminda,
That rises so high.
Losing in passion,
The one who comes,
The beams are so tender
With magic lace carved.
I wonder who raised,
And how did he raise?
What hands ever raised
Great Nikortsminda!
A treasure we own!
How bold and how rich,
Harmony through stone
Like songs we may reach.
Well cut! Oh, well cut!
By whom it is cut,
Great Nikortsminda
With wisdom is cut!
The arches round here,
The pillars well tied,
They look as if come
From our dreams and skies.
I wonder, who built it,
A man of mercy?

113

ra madlma aago
sveti _ nikorwminda!
grZnob, viT diadia
Tormeti sarkmeli,
xazebSi anTia
cecxli misarqmeli:
neta vin aanTo,
rom grZnobiT aanTo
da wlebs gadaando
naTlad nikorwminda!
xveulT diadeba
vxedav _ ra uxvia,
drom mas diadema
krZalviT Seuxvia.
neta vin mohqarga,
da roca mohqarga,
Sig mihkarg-mohkarga
gzneba _ nikorwminda!
mkveTri da moqnili
xazTa dasruleba
aris amodqmnili
natvris asruleba.
es is simkveTrea,
es is simdidrea,
raiTac mkvidria
Zegli nikorwminda.
Senis sulmnaTisad
asvla erovani:
yeli gumbaTisa
maRalRerovani,
camdis aRerili,
114

A man of gift made

Great Nikortsminda!
You feel what is meant
By fire here in lines,
With twelve great casements
All burning till night.
Who lit the bright fire
For us to amaze,
Entrusting to years
Your beauty and fame!
The grandeur of twines
Is in abundance,
Time wrapped a tiara
In a gentle bondage.
But who embroidered?
And when embroidered
With passion in tints,
Great Nokortsminda?
So sharp and so mild
Are ends of the lines
It feels a dream fine
Came true with mans mind.
Its due to the strength,
Its due to the wealth,
Great Nikortsminda
Is solid and firm.
Your rise to the skies
The rise of the nation,
High neck of the dome
What a creation!
That reaches the Heavens

115

nebiT aRerili,
saTnod aRerili
gSvenis, nikorwminda!
mzera qarTulia
sivrcis daunjebiT,
Tvali garTulia
frTian faskunjebiT:
frTebi, frTebi ginda
kidev frTebi gvinda,
ginda daeuflo
sivrces, nikorwminda!
Sen, frTamoRuRunes
JamTa simaRleze,
Cveni saukune
gicavs, uaxlesi:
mZlavri xelovneba,
xalxis xelovneba _
brwyinavs saqarTvelos
qebad nikorwminda!
1947

116

And reaches with will,

It reaches with virtue,
With beauty to fill!
It looks with a gaze,
That is Georgian true,
With fire-birds are eyes
In mute space amused.
To conquer the space
You long for more wings,
Great Nikortsminda,
More wings we now need!
A singer through wings
On the height of times,
Defended may feel
By hands of our time.
The power of the arts,
The art of our folk,
In praise of Georgia
Will shine evermore!

117

yvelaferi
SeiZleba moxdes:
mTa mTas Sexvdes,
mze mTis iqiT moxvdes,
vardi daWknes,
ros bulbuli mosxltes, _
yvelaferi
SeiZleba moxdes.
SeiZleba,
ros dabneldes are,
xevebs iqiT
gadaqandes mTvare,
Seicvalos,
varskvlavebis are, _
yvelaferi
SeiZleba moxdes.
SeiZleba
SxamiT savse sasmiss
gawvdides xma
megobarTa razmis,
Tan saSinels
gimzadebdes rasmes, _
yvelaferi
SeiZleba moxdes.
samSoblos win
yovel valTa moxdis,
mSvidobis wigns
gvirgvins vervin moxdis,
mSvidobis gza
rom odesme mokvdes,
ara, es ar
SeiZleba moxdes.
118

1956

Anything, oh, anything may happen:

The mounts may meet, the sunll rise in challenge,
A rose will die if flies away to heavens
A nightingale, oh, anything may happen.
Its possible, if darkened are the skies,
Behind the trees the moon leaps down, you find,
The stars may not as usual shine all bright,
Anything, oh, anything may happen.
A group of men that claim to be your friends,
May offer poison when you are at mess,
Theyll rival you all ruined you are unless,
Anything, oh, anything may happen.
To do the duty to the landt means,
You truly love the greatest Book of Peace,
The road of peace is ever blessed with Heaven,
It never dies, thatll never happen.

119

rarig kargia, samSoblov,

Seni mtkvari da rioni,
SoTa, ilia, akaki,
vaJa...
or zRvaTa Sua mdebare
brwyinavda kavkasioni,
SoTa, ilia, akaki,
vaJa...
sul maRla goris cixea,
sul dabla Zveli sioni,
SoTa, ilia, akaki,
vaJa...
dabliT kolxidis velia,
maRlidan dgas baxtrioni,
SoTa, ilia, akaki,
vaJa...

120

My native land, how sweet and dear

Are rivers Mtkvari and Rioni,
The poets33 Shota34, Ilya35, Akaki36,
Vazha37...
Between two seas there lightens brightly
The mountain called Kavkasioni38,
The poets Shota, Ilya, Akaki,
Vazha...
High above stands Gori39 Fortress40,
Down here stands the old Sioni41,
The poets Shota, Ilya, Akaki,
Vazha...
The famous plane is of Kolkhida42,
The highlands are of Bakhtrioni43,
The poets Shota, Ilya, Akaki,
Vazha...

121

sadRegrZelo iyos misi

ocnebao Cemo Zvelo,
varT RameTa mTeveli...
bevri, bevri sadRegrZelo
dagvrCa dauleveli.
sadRegrZelo iyos misi
vinc omebSi iwoda,
vinc iraklis maradisi
aRtaceba icoda:
modioda erTze asi,
gza gvSvenoda didebis,
Cven davscaloT yvelam Tasi
bedTan ar daridebis!
sadRegrZelo iyos misi,
vinc SiSma ver daxara, _
vidgeT fexze... Cven tfilisi
vadRegrZeloT WaRara!
aq sicocxle da xalisi
vis sxvad ar esveneba _
sadRegrZelo iyos misi
da didebiT xseneba!
ocnebao Cemo Zvelo,
varT RameTa mTeveli
kidev bevri sadRegrZelo
dagvrCa dauleveli!
1958

122

Let Us Drink A Toast44

O my oldest, oldest dream,
Sleepless nights you share with me...
Many toasts are left indeed
For the goblets to be filled.
Let us fill the bowls for those,
Who burned brave in fiery fights,
Who admired Iraklis45 throne,
His devotion and his might.
Against a man a hundred rose,
But appeal to fame prevailed,
Let us fill the bowls for those,
Who fought boldly not to fail.
Let us fill the bowls for those,
Who stood tall and showed no fright
We will rise in love and most
Of Tbilisi, old and bright.
Who loves life, enjoys it here,
Who is apt to merriment
Let us drink for him, most dear!
Indulging in enjoyment!
O my oldest, oldest dream,
Sleepless nights you share with me,
Many toasts are left indeed
For the goblets to be filled!

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Translators Notes
1. A comparative study of Galaktions and Byrons
works permits us to conclude that this poem is a free and
very artistic translation of Lord Byrons Fragment
Written Shortly After The Marriage Of Miss Chaworth
composed as early as in 1805 (see Translators
Foreword):
Hills of Annesley, bleak and barren,
Where my thoughtless childhood strayd,
How the northern tempests, warring,
Howl above thy tufted shade!
Now no more, the hours beguiling,
Former favourite haunts I see;
Now no more my Mary smiling
Makes ye seem a Heaven to me.
2. There are two early legends about the aspen tree. One
relates that the Cross was made from the aspen, and that,
when the tree realised the purpose for which it was being
used, its leaves began to tremble with horror and have
never ceased. The other legend is that, when Christ died on
the Cross, all the trees bowed in sorrow except the aspen.
Because of its pride and sinful arrogance the leaves of the
aspen were doomed to continual trembling (George
Ferguson, Signs and Symbols in Christian Art [Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1971], p. 28.)
3. Virgin of the Gate wonder-working icon of the Virgin
Mary at the entrance of the Iveron, the Georgian Orthodox
monastery on Mount Athons.
4. David Narin King of Georgia (1225-1293),
distinguished for his faith.
5. Ancient Georgian letters In the original text we have
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the word asomTavruli (asomtavruli), meaning the

ancient Georgian alphabet and also texts composed in that
alphabet.
6. Shota Rustaveli see footnote 1 in Translators
Foreword.
7. Kaff In past centuries in English literature this word
was used to denote the Caucasus.
8. Mtatsminda mount overlooking Tbilisi. In Georgian
Mtatsminda means holy mount.
9. The riverside in the source text we have the Mtkvari,
the river that runs through Tbilisi.
10. The church in the source text we have metexi
(Metekhi), that is the church in Tbilisi overlooking the river
Mtkvari.
11. Apparition of a man according to established
tradition, Galaktion meant Akaki Tsereteli, a great
Georgian poet (1840-1915) of noble origin, who deeply
inspired him (see footnote 2 in Translators Foreword).
12. Toward the end of the fifteenth century the daisy came
to be used in paintings of the Adoration as a symbol of
the innocence of the Christ Child. Apparently, the sweet
simplicity of the daisy was felt to be a better symbol of His
innocence than the tall, stately lily. see Ferguson, op.
cit.., p. 30.
13. The lonely bard in the source text we have
Baratashvili. Nikoloz Baratashvili (1817-1845) was a
distinguished Georgian poet, a great grandson of Irakli II,
king of Georgia (see the note for the poem Let Us Drink A
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Toast).
14. Grave Digger Galaktions poem mesaplave.
15. The Night And I Galaktions poem me da game.
16. Ol-ol pet name of the poets first wife, Olga Okujava.
17. The first version of this poem was inscribed by
Galaktion on the back of a postcard showing Lord Byron in
a boat in the company of Shelley, Mary Godwin, Claire
Clairmont, Dr Polidori and others.
18. Mary In the original text we have Mary Chaworth.
19. Graal Holy Graal or dish used by Christ in instituting
the Eucharist.
20. Lydia ancient Kingdom in Anatolia (7th-6th centuries
BC), with its capital at Sardis. The last king of the Lydians,
Croesus, was defeated by the Persians in 546 BC.
21. In the original text, as well as in this translated version
there is no mention of the word sand except in the title.
This poem continues the theme touched on in the poem
Azure Land or Rose in Sand, where, as I argue, the first
part of the Georgian title, silajvarde, meaning azure
(azure-land), is equal in content to the second part of vardi
silashi, meaning a rose in sand: if we replace the
adverbial modifier of place silashi, and the noun vardi,
as the Georgian syntax permits, we may have the same
sounding: silashi vardi and silajvarde. The poet
connected these two homonymous word combinations with
the conjunction anu meaning or, that in the Georgian
language also introduces an equivalent. For Galaktion this
was the way to create a kind of enigma, where a rose
symbolizes the Virgin Mary.
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22. When rendering the Georgian pronoun of the third

person I am guided by the same criteria as in the poem
Her Eyes Stayed Open As She Died, given that Galaktion
associates this flower with the Virgin Mary according to the
acknowledged interpretation of Christian symbols.
23. Here she stands for the personal pronoun of the third
person is that in Georgian may imply either masculine or
feminine genders. Normally Galaktion associates the sun
with the feminine gender, which leads me to the decision to
render the Georgian pronoun with the English pronoun
she. Besides, in my opinion, this poem is a prophetic
vision of his first wifes death in exile. As distinct from
English traditions, Georgian folklore also associates the sun
with a woman, the moon with a man. A popular Georgian
rhyme runs as follows:
The sun is my mother,
The moon is my dad,
Sisters and brothers
Are small stars ahead.
24. Alazani river running in the East of Georgia.
25. Shindisi village near Tbilisi.
26. Simoom or simoon hot dry violent dust-laden wind
from Asian or from African deserts.
27. The Holy Mount the mountain overlooking Tbilisi.
See also note 8.
28. See more on roses in Translators Foreword.
29. Shota Rustaveli see footnote 1 in Translators
Foreword.
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30. Colchis name given by ancient writers to the valley of

the river Phasis (the modern Rion), in the west of Georgia.
The Greeks regarded Colchis as the special domain of
sorcery, a land of fabled wealth, as symbolized by the myth
of the Argonauts and Medea.
31. Chkvishi village in Western Georgia where the poet
was born.
32. Nikortsminda monument of Georgian architecture, a
domed cathedral, erected between 1010 and 1014, which is
dedicated to St Nicholas.
33. Here Galaktion Tabidze intends to name five major
Georgian men of letters: Shota, Ilia, Akaki, Vazha (see the
notes below), leaving the space for the fifth name blank.
Under the blank in the Georgian text the poet means and
Galaktioni (the Georgian form of this name when it stands
without a surname) that rhymes well with every second line
of each stanza.
34. Shota Shota Rustaveli (see footnote 1 in Translators
Foreword).
35. Ilya Ilya Chavchavadze (1837-1907), a great
Georgian writer and public figure, inspirer and leader of the
national liberation movement in the XIXth century.
36. Akaki Akaki Tsereteli (see note 11).
37. Vazha Vazha Pshavela (1861-1915), a great Georgian
poet distinguished for his deep understanding of the
mysteries of nature.
38. Kavkasioni Georgian name for the Caucasian
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Mountains.
39. Gori ancient town in Kartli, Eastern Georgia.
40. Gori Fortress historic fortification in the centre of
Gori dating back to the 10th century BC and reconstructed
in 1774 by Erekle II, king of Georgia.
41. Sioni Georgian Cathedral in Tbilisi, erected in the 6th
century and restored at the end of the 18th century.
42. Kolkhida name dating back to the 8th century BC
given by Greek writers to the valley of the Phasis (now
Rioni) in the west of Georgia (also known as Colchis) (see
note 30).
43. Bakhtrioni fortress in Kakheti in Eastern Georgia,
built by the Persians in the 17th century, during their rule in
this country. In 1659 the Georgians revolted against the
Persians and destroyed the fort. The ruins still remain.
44. This translation is made according to a later version of
the poem (see Acknowledgments).
45. Irakli II Georgian king (1720-1798) famous for his
wisdom and courage.

129