Avik Deirmenjian - I SHALL HANG ON

Over the strife
Of desperate days,
I shall hang on
To endless life,
Regardless
Of feckless luck
I shall soar
Like an eagle…

Over days
Devoid of light,
I shall track down
The brightest light,
With my dreams
Constant as stars,
I shall radiate
Like the sun…

I shall take it,
I shall sing out,
Beyond a doubt I shall
Rise from demise,
With wounded heart,
Unfinished home,
I shall trumpet
My unfinished
sonnet…


Avik Deirmenjian
Translated by Tatul Sonentz

Avik Deirmenjian - STONES

Here, stones have lived for eons,
Cracked, crumbling, marked for death,
Stones have shed their tears here...

Stones have seen prejudice here,
ill winds of darkness, bigotry, mayhem,
Stones have shed their blood here...

Stones here have been cut and honed into
Impregnable fort, khachkar and temple,
Here, stones have exuded faith...

Stones have turned into concepts here,
As materialized majesty of spirit,
Hope has gushed out of stones here...

Stones have become a myriad things here
With a sacred credo of soaring higher
Charity was sculpted in stone here...


Poem by Avik Deirmenjian
translated by Tatul Sonentz