SARMEN'S POETRY

( 1901 _____ )



MOTHER

Translated from Armenian by Daniel Janoyan
Los Angeles, April 12, 1991

One day in Fall, on my way home from school,
With a broken heart my mother asked me in silence,
"Son, why are you so sad?"

I did not know how to express myself at once,
So, one more time she approached me,
"What has happened, my dear son?"

"You know, mother, my friend’s, Hoonany’s, father
Has died and also he has no mother;
All he has now left, is a grandmother."

Hearing my words my mother became sad indeed,
She kissed my eyes, she hugged me and she also said to me,
"Don’t bother yourself my dear Ashot,
Your friend won’t be left poor, nor also naked.
We will all try to help him as much as we can."

Now every morning on my way to school,
My mother prepares with care
My everyday lunch-bag to take to school.

She puts two shares of breakfast,
One for me and one for my friend.
She sews two sets of brand new clothes,
One for me and one for my friend.

She buys toys for me,
One for me and one for my friend.
She joins us going to theatres,
With me and with my friend.

My mother would always assure me
In her tender and loving voice,
"Let him never know, while he is living,
That he is an orphan in this world.

In this flourished and wide
Fatherland, which is one of its kind,
Let me instead of having one child,
To have the pleasure of raising yet another child.



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