A Sunday Poem

In the spirit of the weekend’s celebration of independence, here is Ahmad Javad’s poem to the Azerbaijani Flag, written in 1919.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an Azeri version.  You can find more Azeri literature, however, at Azeri.org.

To the Azerbaijani Flag

Turkistan 1 winds are whispering
their troubles to you,
Kissing you on your forehead, my flag!
Let the Black Sea send your three colors
As a gift to its friends, my flag!

I met you on my way to Turan, 2
Your shadow ever falling over my head!
Let the tears watering my eyes
Tell everyone of their grief, my flag!

You got your colors from Gayi khan, 3
Moslem beys 4 have gotten older like Elkhan.
You, Elkhan’s descendant, stronghold of religion,
You brought delight into my soul, my flag!

I stepped forward, fierce winds in my chest,
I want to kiss the holy place
where your shadow falls!
The star of heavens, that beautiful fairy, 5
Has taken shelter in the moon in your lap,
my flag!

Footnotes:
1 Turkistan – referring to all of the Turkic nations.
2 Turan – the entire area of Turkic nations, from the Altay Mountains to the Black Sea.
3 Gayi khan and Elkhan – the names of legendary Oguz knights.
4 Bey – used here to mean the title given to noble men, members of gentry.
5 Beautiful fairy – referring to the flag’s moon, which he says resembles a fairy.