Dr. Zhi Zhang
An Anti war poem
My World is at the Mercy of Civilizational Narcissism
Dedicated to Dr. Zhi Zhang, A well known poet, Translator,Critic and Director International Poetry Translation and Research Centre of China
My city’s lamp fears the wind
I scrawled a farewell note on the wall
And turned my back on the door
Here you’d hear people fancying the weapons
I put a knot on my voice quietly
So that my poems may communicate
With the tongue-tied city
I’m elegiac of the city lying on the rubble of atomic bomb
My poem took root
From the ashes of the city aflame
And the reward of my poem
That’s inscribed on the white sheet of hearts
Is the moisture in the eyes of Kenzaburo Oe
I’m seated beside her
Lamenting over demise of the city
which overspilled onto the earth!
They intend to force my proud neck into subjugation
By setting fire to my city
So that they may impoverish me
By destroying my fields
They want to break me
By leading my women towards human markets
I will
Prefer to die fighting
My world is at the mercy of civilizational narcissism!
Translated by: Sara Ali Khan
Poem by Dr. Jawaz Jaffri
Powerfully delivered