Sen at Iranian.Com

A poem that is fire,
by Nader Naderpour,
born in Tehran 1929, died in exile, 2000

Translated Sen McGlinn, 2009 (c) creative commons

شعریست در دلم
There is a poem in my heart,
شعری که لفظ نیست ‚ هوس نیست ‚ ناله نیست
a poem unarticulated, neither longing nor complaint,
شعری که آتش است
a poem that is fire.
شعری که می گذارد و می سوزدم مدام
A poem that liquifies, that burns me continually,
شعری که کینه است و خروش است و انتقام
a poem of vengeance and retribution, a poem that shouts,
شعری که آشنا ننماید به هیچ گوش
a poem that will not fall familiar on any ear,
شعری که بستگی نپذیرد به هیچ نام
a poem that will not be bound to any name.
شعریست در دلم

There is a poem in my heart,
شعری که دوست دارم و نتوانمش سرود
a poem I love, though I cannot recite it.
می خواهمش سرود و نمی خواهمش سرود
I wish I could recite it, yet I do not wish to recite it.
شعری که چون نگاه نگنجد به قالبی
A poem that like a glance, cannot be confined in any form,
شعری که چون سکوت فرو مانده بر لبی
a poem that dies on one’s lips like the silence,
شعری که چون شوق زندگی و بیم مردن است
a poem like the longing for life and the fear of death
شعری که نعره است و نهیب است و شیون است
and a poem that clamours, a poem of terror and lamentation,
شعری که چون غرور بلند و سرکش است
a poem as tall and proud as arrogance,
شعری که آتش است
a poem that is fire.
شعریست در دلم

There is a poem in my heart,
شعری که دوست دارم و نتوانمش سرود
a poem I love, though I cannot recite it,
شعری از آنچه هست
a poem about the way things are
شعری از آنچه بود
a poem of the way things were.

This poem dates from 1954, just after the CIA-backed coup that deposed the democratically elected government of Iran, in which Mohammad Mosaddeq was the Prime Minister, and replaced it with the absolute rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Today, what can one say?
يزيد و شمر – به شام برو