Persian Samples 6

Persian Poetry – Ghasedak /gha:sedæk/ by M.A. Saless /sa:les/

This week, Persian poetry page presents Saless /sa:les/.

Sometimes, it happens to all of us. We love somebody or something, but we are angry (maybe with her). Then, when we see her, we start talking to her angrily for a while and maybe we ask her to go away. But, seeing her walking away, we feel sorry and maybe we will say, ” Are you really going?” So, honestly, our love is stronger than our hatred. But we were angry at that moment and probably we had a different and stronger reason to be angry. But she is our love and we feel free to tell her about our pains, to show her our anger, and to kiss her and reconcile. Then, we will explain that we were angry because of such and such reason but at the same time she arrived and so on. So, we showed our anger to her. Maybe it is a kind of duality in our personality (not a serious one!).

Ghasedak is a very light part of a plant that moves gently in wind and goes to different places. The Iranians believe that the person whom this plant goes to, will receive some news (hopefully good news) very soon. Actually it is a kind of traditional postman!

The poet seems a bit angry and may be sad or disappointed. He is talking to Ghasedak who is believed to be a messenger, especially the one who gives us good news. But, apparently, he is not in good mood now and begins talking to Ghasedak rather unfriendly with complains. He says, ” you have come and maybe with good news. But you are wasting your time by turning around my house. I am waiting for no news, from nobody. Go to those who are waiting for you. In my heart, everything and everybody is blind and deaf. Leave me alone. I am the one who is stranger in his own homeland. Something from within my heart is telling me that you are untrue, you are deceit.” But suddenly, he changes his mind (probably Ghasedak is going away!) and says, ” Are you really going? But where? Where are you going? By the way, do you have any news from anywhere? Is there any warm ash somewhere? I don’t expect fire, is there still a very small sparkle in any fire place?”

At the end, he seems sad and disappointed again. But this time, he seems talking to himself (soliloquy). He ends his words by saying, ” Ghasedak! The clouds of the entire world are crying in me night and day.”

Lesson 6

• Lesson 6
• Let’s Write 6
• Useful Drills 6