Jamal Kamal
JAMAL KAMAL, national poet of Uzbekistan, was born in 1938 in ancient Bukhara . Award-winning poet and translator, Jamal Kamal is one of Shakespeare’s admirers. In Uzbekistan he first did Uzbek translations of works such as “HAMLET PRINCE OF DENMARK”, “OTHELLO”, “MACHBET”, “ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA”, “TIMON OF ATHENS”, “CORELIANUS”, “THE MERCHANT OF VENICE”, “THE HISTORY OF HENRY IV”, “THE WINTERS TALE”, “ROMEO AND JULIET”, “KING LEAR” and “JULIUS CAESAR”. These are Jamal Kamal’s life works. Some of them were published and staged on theatres in Uzbekistan. Jamal Kamal has also translated many books from Iranian literature. In particular, his translations from Jalaliddin Rumi are of great interest. He lives and works in Tashkent.
When my heart is filled with sounds:
(Octaves)
MY TINY VERSE IS
THAT MY BROKEN-HEARTED
(From the series)
***
Once before you comes to light my life,
My tiny verse is that my broken-hearted;
Dawn esteemed and carried him the night,
In a line – joy, grief in other started.
If you’re ruthful, my anguish is help,
If you’re happy, I give my sorrow. Take!
Let me be your wings, be my rock yourself,
I will be your martyr, you feel hurt for my sake:
***
Our earth is generous, we say,
But the earth says that we are its meat.
In actual we eat earth everyday
But it us the other day will eat.
Keep in mind this common truth, my fellow,
Look intently what does this word mean.
The eaten ones, of course, one day will swallow,
To be foodstuff the eaters once begin.
***
People buried someone in twilight,
Having dug a rammed, cold soil.
As a gloomy army fell the night,
Alone mourning grave turned black at all.
In the night when glinting stars shed tears
Moon-light broke on a graveyard stone.
A dragging dog as shadow came to near
At the grave with sorrow made its moan.
***
It was written to my fate by God,
Stars will flare in its load howl.
What’s that in a whisper runs a lot
And sometimes it terrifies my soul.
Poetry, you’re tear in the eye,
You’re a stone hung at someone’s neck.
While there is the world, you’ll never die,
You’re the sun in my celestial track.
***
If a singer doesn’t chant around,
They say he goes to mountains with tones.
If his songs in public don’t resound,
He will wait for echo from the stones.
To say a word in earth a poet’s born,
To keep silence – to be below ground.
To which river or rocks should I turn
When my heart is filled with ardent sounds?
***
We have parted, a long-waited friend,
You went along this way, I turned another.
You didn’t ask me where my time I’d spend,
I also couldn’t ask you, didn’t bother.
A river flows between us to the plains,
Stones that you throw at it sink down.
And I’m shedding tears with a pain
To that river, stones, you’ve thrown.
***
When I show up, all doors to my face
Will be always locked up out of hand:
People, I’ve a word, retard your pace,
Be patient, people, for a moment, stand:
I ask you neither bread nor wealth or fortune,
I don’t ask you money, don’t hurry.
I would only like to ask a question,
Does this question frighten you and worry?
***
Such a rare case there is in essence,
What do you think about this, my pal? -
When a wolf attacks on sheep or menaces
The other sheep will watch, “it’s just as well”.
But, in fact, there is another story -
A tiger jumps to a limping wolf to kill.
No, the other wolves can’t bear, sorry,
They go against the tiger with great zeal:
***
He has unusual habit: always barks,
As if wants to show his doggy temper.
Every day he stands outdoors and plucks,
He likes to mar one’s pleasure and to hamper.
Even walking in the street he bawls,
He gets on people’s nerves, gives no reposal,
Hey, tell me, is this transient world yours?
I better leave it at your disposal:
***
Periods are united overseas -
The Age of progress, Age of alteration.
But we still discuss without cease
About beard, sects, women and fashion.
Tell me, where you were, what could you gain,
Hey, God’s slave that calls himself a Moslem?
In five epochs what did you attain?
Did you solve at least one global problem?
***
Allah, help me get over my hardship,
This sorrow hurt my heart a great extent.
When I every time begin to worship,
Comes to me to push the Old Serpent.
I want to have your mercy everyday
But again I’ve trouble, oh my Lord,
Every time when I begin to pray,
Pounce on my head entire world.
MY TINY VERSE IS
THAT MY BROKEN-HEARTED
(From the series)
Once before you comes to light my life,
My tiny verse is that my broken-hearted;
Dawn esteemed and carried him the night,
In a line – joy, grief in other started.
If you’re ruthful, my anguish is help,
If you’re happy, I give my sorrow. Take!
Let me be your wings, be my rock yourself,
I will be your martyr, you feel hurt for my sake:
***
Our earth is generous, we say,
But the earth says that we are its meat.
In actual we eat earth everyday
But it us the other day will eat.
Keep in mind this common truth, my fellow,
Look intently what does this word mean.
The eaten ones, of course, one day will swallow,
To be foodstuff the eaters once begin.
***
People buried someone in twilight,
Having dug a rammed, cold soil.
As a gloomy army fell the night,
Alone mourning grave turned black at all.
In the night when glinting stars shod tears
Moon-light broke on a graveyard stone.
A dragging dog as shadow came to near
At the grave with sorrow made its moan.
Translated by Azam Abidov
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