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Mosaddegh
16-Aug-2012
Listen to Majid Naficy reading these poems in Persian
Mosaddegh at the Hague
If you go to the Netherlands
Visit The Hague court of Justice.
On a rainy night
Linger at its closed gate
And look through the iron rods:
There, in that lighted building
Across the rain-laden trees,
An old man stood
More than half a century ago.
He came from our homeland
To speak out against the oil cartels
Before the whole world.
He did not hold anyone hostage
And took only a few steps
To reach the podium.
Listen, listen
Even years after that bloody August (1)
One can still hear his voice.
He speaks in beautiful French:
"Mesdames et Messieurs!
Ladies and Gentlemen!"
September 24, 2005
1. On August 19, 1953 Mohammad Mosaddegh (1882-1967), the democratically-elected Iranian Prime Minister, was overthrown in a coup d'etat orchestrated by the American and British intelligence services, in collaboration with Kashani, a fundamentalist clergy and Zahedi, a Nazi-sympathizer general. They gave absolute power to the Shah who had fled the country a few days earlier. In 1951, Mosaddegh led the movement for nationalization of the Iranian oil industry, which was under the control of the British. In June 1952, he traveled to the Hague to defend Iran's case in the International Court of Justice.
- - - - -
I Do Not Want You, Petroleum
This poem was first published in Persian in Sorrow of the Border (anduh-e marz) San Diego, 1989, and then in English in Muddy Shoes Beyond Baroque Books, 1999, as well as Poets Against the War edited by Sam Hamill Nation Books 2003.
I don't want you, petroleum!
For a long time,
I thought that you burnt for me.
Now I see that I am burning for you.
I'm not saying that it's not pleasant
Sitting near a kerosine heater
And enjoying the falling snow.
Or listening to the working water pumps
In an empty plain.
And yet, I cannot believe you,
Seven-headed dragon!
Fire still spews forth from your mouth
To the soul of my homeland.
In your school I learned servitude,
So that the khan of the tribe
Could send his son to London.
The Imperial Army in Mohammara
Forced me to abandon
The dream of a "House of Justice".
On the street my blood was shed,
It turned into ink
For the pens which wrote
The new contracts of slavery.
The grand gates of falsehood
Opened with your keys.
Today the promised Messiah rides
On you, donkey of the Antichrist.
You raised this state to the heavenly throne
And polished its boots to a sheen.
You raised its seven-headed club
And whenever I tried to pull it down
You reinforced its shaky body
With your sturdy beams.
No! I don't want!
I don't want you, petroleum!
Oh, bloody stream!
For a long time,
I thought you gave me blood.
Now I see, you made me bleed.
May 18, 1987
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|---|---|---|
دلیل آفتاب | 3 | Dec 02, 2012 |
| Fire | 2 | Nov 18, 2012 |
| Sattar Beheshti: "More Honor in Death" | 4 | Nov 13, 2012 |
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متمم جان ممنون از لطفت
anglophileFri Aug 17, 2012 11:14 AM PDT
متمم جان ممنون از لطفت
چون اینجا در محضر استاد نفیسی هستیم اجازه میخواهم در پاسخ شما از حافظ نقل کنم که گفت:
بی مزد بود و منت هر خدمتی که کردم
یارب مباد کس را مخدوم بی عنایت
حالا شعر ما چرا پاک شد؟ ما که جسارتی نکردیم فقط به سبک استاد چند خطی نوشتیم. البته یادم رفته بود که حریم بعضی از اساتید در این سایت وزین مقدسه مثل استاد نفیسی و استاد دباشی. حالا خدا رو شکر خودمون پاک نشدیم. خدایا شکرت!
Horrible translation
by MRX on Fri Aug 17, 2012 07:32 AM PDTwhat a horrible translation of the poet what ever it is.
Not to discreet Mosadegh's effort to nationalize Iranian oli but according to Mr. Amini who is a researcher in Iranian affiars (what ever that means) and big fan of Mossadegh (he said it not me), Mossadegh had no choice but to nationalize the oil, becuase the parlimant voted for nationalization. So in that context he was mearly a delivery boy!
it is also interesting that in 2012 with so much technology and progress available to every one, you still need compaines like haliberton, shevron, exxon, BP you name it to work with to explore and distribute oil. one wonders in early 1950's with bulk of a population being so illietrate how they would have managed to run things. Another words talk is cheap and action is all that matters.
.
by First Amendment on Fri Aug 17, 2012 05:49 AM PDT"Do the Pahlavis (I dropped my usual f word, out of respect for his/her attachment to them) really deserve Anglo's talent and loyalty?"..........I ask myself, before taking another sip of my coffee............
And if my comment is confusing you, please contact the site's admin and ask for the revival of her removed comment.
I love ....
by jasonrobardas on Fri Aug 17, 2012 01:51 AM PDThearing Mr.Naficy reading his poetry..His own voice gives it more charm and authenticity.......His lovely Isfahani accent makes it even more pleasant ................