Kajal Ahmad Translations Kurdish

Mirror by Kajal Ahmad, a Kurdish poet loose translation by Michael R. Burch My era's obscuring mirror shattered because it magnified the small and made the great seem insignificant. Dictators and monsters filled its contours. Now when I breathe its jagged shards pierce my heart and instead of sweat I exude glass. The Lonely Earth by Kajal Ahmad loose translation by Michael R. Burch The pale celestial bodies never bid her “Good morning!” nor do the creative stars kiss her. Earth, where so many tender persuasions and roses lie interred, might expire for the lack of a glance, or an odor. She’s a lonely dusty orb, so very lonely!, as she observes the moon's patchwork attire knowing the sun's an imposter who sears with rays he has stolen for himself and who looks down on the moon and earth like lodgers. Kurds are Birds by Kajal Ahmad loose translation by Michael R. Burch Per the latest scientific classification, Kurds now belong to a species of bird! This is why, traveling across the torn, fraying pages of history, they are nomads recognized by their caravans. Yes, Kurds are birds! And, even worse, when there’s nowhere left to nest, no refuge from their pain, they turn to the illusion of traveling again between the warm and arctic sectors of their homeland. So I don’t think it strange Kurds can fly but not land. They wander from region to region never realizing their dreams of settling, of forming a colony, of nesting. No, they never settle down long enough to visit Rumi and inquire about his health, or to bow down deeply in the gust- stirred dust, like Nali. Bi Havre (“Together”) possibly the oldest Kurdish poem loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch I want us to be together: we would eat together, climb the mountain together, sing songs together, songs of love, songs from the heart, sung from above. I want us to have one heart, together. And because Kajal mentioned Rumi, here are my translations of Rumi: Raise your words, not their volume. Rain grows flowers, not thunder. —Rumi, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Birdsong by Rumi loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Birdsong relieves my deepest griefs: now I'm just as ecstatic as they, but with nothing to say! Please universe, rehearse your poetry through me! Keywords/Tags: Kajal Ahmad, Kurd, Kurds, Kurdish, translation, mirror, dictators, monsters, glass, shards, heart, bird, birds, nomads, caravans, nest, Rumi, Nali, together, love