Reza Monaf: From the Priest's Son to the Imam's Daughter (From Tazwiri)

It is surprising that people so often attribute the ghazal form solely to Urdu and Persian, when there are so many literary traditions, from Turkish to Tazwiri, that also employ it. This poem being a case in point. 

Ghazal 4.1: From the Priest's son to the Imam's daughter
By Reza Monaf
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

In the beginning was the word and every word was you
As love turned flesh among us and reality came true.

Eternity burst open like a sinner's door to heaven
Our hands became the blasphemy of lovers, and reached through.

My hand became a crown above the promise of your head.
I love you and a night's enough to tell you that I do.

If you don't come tonight, may God forsake me like a father,
Sharpen the crescent moon into a blade, and run me through.

Come now. If not, a priest's son will find gear enough for travel.
Whatever road of rock I walk, my heart will be my shoe.



The Original:

رول ازل كيت كلمه فه تون كلمه وا سين
كه عشق هورا بلد فه حقيقه حقوا سين

ابد تورافلپ كه ذنبگار بار جنت
دستروپ زندقه بلند فه سريوا سين

دستك تاز بلند قولرو كپش وا
عشق وا ملكانت رين باشب پروا سين

الله پر يوك عوده بروام اتاگار شي برش
هلال سيف بربلك فه بن ارياوا سين

دوررد حال! پر يوك خوريده سفرچيز پكراد
چل چل دراه چلد پا قلب پانوا سين

3 comments:

  1. Is the first line of this as Biblical as it sounds in your translation?

    I can't find anything online on the author or language, by the way -- are you using a standard transcription system?

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  2. Dammit. Every year I try to be subtle. 

    ReplyDelete