14.1 - Ahmad Javad's Poetry - I Won't Remain Silent

Spring 2006 (14.1)
Page 81

Ahmad Javad's Poetry
I Won't Remain Silent
by Ahmad Javad

I'm a slave, my brother
I'm crushed under a heavy load,
I'm a captive,
And I don't know what joy is,
Grief is my only friend.

They accused me,
And put me in chains in prison,
A snowy frozen hell is my home now.
You're telling me to keep silent,
For how long?
How long can I stay behind the bars of depression and separation?

Why should I keep quiet and not speak out,
Am I not part of humanity?

This land that's being destroyed
is my Motherland.

Why should I remain silent and not speak?
This place is a Turkic land.

Look who is in the Motherland
of Oghuzs and Elkhans.

I will not remain silent, Let them hang me.
Until I die under the heavy load,
I will endure the insults and my enemy's scorn.

When my mother brought me up she told me:
"I'm raising you to become a sacrifice
for this Turkic land!

Consider independence more valuable than fame,
Forget lowness, flattery and meanness!
Let your love be for the Motherland,
for your nation and for me.

May you be punished if you ever betray us!"
How can I remain silent and not speak,
How can I betray?

Where is love, where is the Motherland?
Tell me where is the nation?
I am a slave,
My land is golden, my water is silver,
Myself, I'm hungry,
My father is captive,
My mother lives in uncertainty
My people are in need of everything.

The tongue was created to speak, but I cannot.
Open my heart, break my chest,
You'll see my lungs are wasted!

Tell me, what's the purpose
Of crawling around like a snake?

Until when do we have to pretend
In order to get a piece of bread?

I am an Azeri son,
I have deep intellect and wit.

Until when will the enemies
Walk on our shoulders?

I will be there as long as there is power,
I will be there as long
As there are enslaved people.

I am a rebel against tyranny,
Even if I'm crushed, I will not keep silent!

- Ganja, 1936