cigerxwin/Who Am I? (Kîme Ez?)

Who Am I? (Kîme Ez?)

Who am I you ask?
The Kurd of Kurdistan I am
In the face of enemy
Fire and dynamite
When furious
Like a volcano
I shake the mountains
The sparks of my fury
Are death to the foe.
Who am I?

I am in the east
With forts and castles
Towns and hamlets
Rocks and boulders
I saved the Middle East
From invading Turks
And the crusaders.
Who am I?

Ask the Near East
Ask the Middle East
Villages and towns
Plains and deserts
They were once all mine
When by war and knowledge
I defeated rivals
To become crowned
Over an empire
That reached India.
Who am I?

I am the proud Kurd
Of a noble race
The enemy’s enemy
To the peaceful friend
Like my mighty ancestors
I want to be free
Not forever oppressed
By this enemy
Who won’t leave in peace.
Who am I?

I want to liberate
My parks and meadows
From the tyrants
From the corrupt Shah
The Turkish juntas
So I may live free
In my own homeland
Like other nations
So I can rebuild
And contribute
To the good of mankind.
Who am I?

The one who defeated
Richard the Lion Heart
My own blood I shed
To defend these lands
A thorn I once was
In the enemy' side
In my shadow lived
Turk and Persian
Many a king held
The halter of my horse
Yes I am the warrior
I am Saladin
The King of Egypt,
Syria and Palestine.
Who am I?

I am Ardasher
I am Noshi Rawan
In the ancient days
Rivals feared my kings
Regretted their wrath.
I knew no fright
With adventure in love
From India to Greece
They paid me tribute.
Who am I?

The Kurd of Kurdistan I am
Now poor and oppressed
My castles and forts
Remain demolished
My name and my fame
Swindled by assailants
Who set germs to my body
To paralyse my being
And make my nation
Nameless with no friend.
Who am I?

The unyielding Kurd
Who despite it all
Still formidable
To his enemies.
The smell of dynamite
Is again in my nose
The desire to erupt
Is lively in my heart
I am the fighting valiant
In my majestic mountains
Not for the love of death
But to live free
In my Kurdistan
The land of the Medes
My proud ancestors.
Who am I?

I am the descendant
Of Blacksmith Kawa
Who slayed Dahak
The notorious tyrant
To break off chains
From Kurdish shoulders
And save many heads
From his death list
With his death ended
The long vicious reign
And Newroz was born
To mark a new day
Replacing darkness
By the bright sun
Offered by Ahirman
God of wisdom and light
Who defeats Ormazd
The cruel evil god
As revealed long ago
By Zoroastra.
Who am I?

The maker of Newroz
Seeking my destiny
To rule my own land
Enjoy my orchards
Relish the sacred wines
Of my own vineyards
I shall pursue knowledge
To again break the chains
So I can breath
The wind of liberty
Who am I?

Khaldaw and Mitan
Nayri and Sobar
The son of Lo Lo
Kardokh and Kodi
I belong to the Medes
Hori and Gudi
Kurmanj and the Gosh
Kelhor, Lor and Gor.
Despite oppression
And the division
I am on my land
Kurdish to remain.
Who am I?

The son of the Lor
Kurmanj and Kelhor
Who lost crown and reign
When in the name of religion
They were once betrayed
To became powerless
Rosaries in hands
Duped by the rulers
Deprived of their wealth
Fighting each other
Divided and torn
In the oppressed land
My wretched Kurdistan.
Who am I?

The child of a nation
Awaken from deep sleep
To march once again
As a proud lion
To let the world know
My struggle will go on
In the path to freedom.
I shall learn from great men
of every era
I shall make a vow
To my ancestors
Salar and Sherko
As well as Daysam
That this will of mine
will remain alive.
Let everyone know
I announce with no fear
Liberty is my goal
I shall never give up.
Who am I?

I desire peace
Not to shed blood
But I have enemies
Who deny my rights
I stretch my hands
They betray and lie.
My friendship I offer
To all the nations
Death to oppressors
Long live Kurdistan.
Who am I?

A poem by the Kurdish poet Cigerxwîn (1903 - 1984)
Translated and adapted into English by Shahîn Bekir Sorekli [b]Cigerxwîn

thank you for you too my sister cigerxwin/Who Am I? (Kîme Ez?) 542147

» Cigerxwin (Fotolari