Poem | Artsakh’s ‘The legend of the mountains’
October 10, 2020
On Sept. 27, the peaceful people of Artsakh awoke to the sound of missile strikes crashing down on their homes. In the two weeks since, this storied, ancient homeland has become the battleground for renewed violence. As an arts and cultural platform, we hope to offer some solace, strength, and solidarity through the written form. The words of beloved Artsakhtsi poet and playwright, Vazgen Ovian (1932-1987), ring as true today as they did when he penned them over 50 years ago…
Born Vazgen Ohanjanian (Վազգէն Օհանջանեան) in the village of Dashushen, Ovian (his pen name) was a popular force in the mid-20th century literary and broadcasting community of Artsakh. His 1962 poem, «Լեռների լեգենդը» (“The legend of the mountains”), is an ode to the mountains of his Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) homeland. We present it to you in the original Armenian, as well as an English translation by our very own Lilly Torosyan. You may listen to our audio readings of the poem, in both languages, below.
ԼԵՌՆԵՐԻ ԼԵԳԵՆԴԸ (1962)
Այս լեռները լեգենդներ են պատմում ինձ-
Ղարաբաղցու կամքի մասին աննկուն,
Հին լեգենդներ, որ եկել են դարերից,
Հասել են մեզ ու երգ դառել մեր հոգում։
Այս լեռները եղել են վէմ ու ամրոց,
Ամէն մի ժայռ թշնամու դէմ մի բանակ,
Ծառս են եղել նժոյգները սանձակոծ,
Հառաչել է հողը նրանց ոտքի տակ։
Այստեղ ահա՝ Քառասուն կոյս սարի մօտ
Հետքն է մնում քաջակորով առիւծի,
Այս լեռներով, կիրճերով այս քարքարոտ,
Արշաւել է Դաւիթ Բեկի այրուձին։
Ու շաչել են թրերը կեռ, լայնաշեղբ,
Շառաչել են այս լեռները անառիկ,
Ինչպէս հողմի բերանն ընկած մի տաշեղ՝
Նենգ Կաջարը գլորուել է այս ժայռից։
Այս լեռները լեգենդներ են պատմում ինձ-
Ղարաբաղցու կամքի մասին աննկուն,
Հին լեգենդներ, որ եկել են դարերից,
Հասել են մեզ ու երգ դառել մեր հոգում։
The legend of the mountains (1962)
These mountains tell me legends
About the unwavering will of the Karabakhtsi*,
Ancient legends from centuries past
Have reached us and become songs in our souls.
These mountains have been rock and fortress,
Each cliff, an army against the foe
They’ve been my trees, the bridled horses,
The ground has sighed below their feet.
Here, near the mountain of Forty Virgins
The trace remains of a brave lion,
Traversing these mountains and rocky gorges,
Davit Bek's** cavalry raids.
And they've drawn their swords wide
These impregnable mountains roar,
Like a sliver fallen out of the wind’s mouth
The treacherous Qajar*** rolled off this cliff.
These mountains tell me legends
About the unwavering will of the Karabakhtsi,
Ancient legends from centuries past
Have reached us and become songs in our souls.
Translated by Lilly Torosyan, 2020
* Person from Karabakh
** Davit Bek was an Armenian military commander and perhaps the most prominent military figure of the Armenian liberation movement of the 18th century. He died in 1728.
*** The Qajars are an Oghuz Turkic tribe who lived in the area that is now Armenia, Azerbaijan, and northwestern Iran. The Qajars are considered as a branch of the Azerbaijani people today.
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Poem | «ԼԵՌՆԵՐԻ ԼԵԳԵՆԴԸ» (1962) Վազգէն Օվեան "The Legend of the Mountains" (1962) (ENG Translation)
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