Sobering Voices from the Diaspora

Voices from the Diaspora

 

On this, August 30, 2023, Artsakh Independence Day, it is sobering to see history unfold. I quote the following voices from social media without identifying the authors. Suffice to say that they are bosom friends very much concerned.

 

“Now too much bloodshed has occurred and " integration “ with Azerbaijan is un fathomable at this point”

 

“Just few days ago the Azeris pulled aside a 69 yr old Armenian fro Atrstkh from a group of passengers I think in the corridor and took him prisoner and charged him with war crimes from the First Artsakh war “

 

“They accused him of having been Samuel Babayan’s driver in the 90’s. Yes, with that logic they could arrest every adult male in Artsakh, as ~ all able-bodied men served in the 90’s, 2016, or 2020. Likewise, the 3 young students, at least one of them pictured in army fatigues. Azerbaijan said they are sentenced to 10 days in jail for ‘dishonoring’ Azerbaijan flag. I think 10 days are up, where are they?”

 

“Very scary and I don’t see a way out.”

 

“It may be less costly to actually fight in self-defense than to surrender as the latter may be more costly”

 

I am being reminded of the legendary historic Sassoun and the song that was sung in its honor that has perpetuated to this day. I pray that it is not an ominous reminder that comes to my mind.

 

Օսմանական գոռ վաշտերը կատաղի

Ferocious Ottoman regiments roaring

Պաշարեցին մեր լեռները սոսկալի։

Terribly besieged our mountains

Մի վհատիր քաջ Սասուն,

Do not give up brave Sassoun

Քեզ համար չէ նորութիւն,

It is not news for you

Մեր պապերից սորվեր ենք,

We have learned from our ancestors

Կռուել տղամարդի պէս,

To fight like brave men

Զոր մեզ թողին յիշատակ։

They left as a legacy to us.

 

Թնդանօթի դէմ դրել ենք քաջ սրտով,

We have faced cannon brave heartedly

Սովին դիմացեր ենք կաթով բանջարով։

We have faced famine with milk and vegetables

Ի սէր Աստծոյ դժուար է

For the love of God

Հպատակիլ ոսոխին,

Toe bow to the enemy

Լաւ է մեռնիլ առանց հացի,

Better to die without bread

Քան թէ յանձնուիլ վատ Թուրքին։

Rather than surrender to the bad Turks

Անգութ եւ անաստուածին։

Ruthless and ungodly

 

Շենիկ, Սեմալ պաշարած են քիւրտերով,

The Kurds have surrendered Shoeing and Semal

Տալւորիկ ացքն էր փակուած Թուրքերով։

The Dalvoreg pass is closed  by the Turks

Զքեզ տեսնեմ քա՚ջ Մուրատ,

Brave Mourad, may I see you

Սուրդ շարժիր անվհատ,

Brandishing your sword without discourage

Մեր հեռաւոր եղբայրներ,

Our far away brothers

Չեն մնար միշտ անտարբեր,

They won't remain indifferent

Շուտով կուգան։

They will soon come to help

The Obituary of Aram Arvanigian

Vahe H. Apelian

 

Today Marie and I attended Aram Arvanigian’s funeral services, interment and subsequently memorial luncheon. He was our khnami Gary Arvanigian’s father. 

Aram Arvanigian was 99 years old and was born in Worcester, MA. His funeral service was held in the Holy Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church of Worcester. He, along with his brother George and son Gary, is a godfather of the church.

He collected stamp. Years ago, he had put his collection of the first Soviet Armenia stamps, some of which depicted the stamps of the first republic, for auction to raise funds for the church. Our son and daughter-in-law Nicole, had bid on Nicole’s grandfather’s stamp set and had gifted it to me. I keep them in my Armenian stamp collection as they were purchased. It is a rare Armenian stamp set.

Aram was a veteran. His coffin was draped with the flag and he was put to rest with military honor and after the Flag-Folding-Ceremony, the 13 folds of the Old Glory  was presented to his widow. 

The Arvanigian family hailed from the Khoups village of Keghi. All those interested may read his namesake’s, presumably his paternal uncle Aram Toros Arvanigian's story. http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2017/03/lest-we-forget-aram-toros-arvanigian.html

I have attached Aram Arvangian’s obituary as it appeared on the funeral home’s webstie.

“ Worcester- Aram Arvanigian, 99, passed away on August 25, 2023.

He was born in Worcester on May 8, 1924, a son of the late Karekin and Nevart (Avakian) Arvanigian. He graduated from Worcester Boys Trade School before enlisting in the United States Coast Guard to proudly serve his country during World War II. Possessing a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Aram successfully owned and operated Arvco Computer Company in Oxford for many years. Aram was a longtime member of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church and the Freemasons.

He leaves behind his loving wife, Linda S. (Winter) Arvanigian; his children, Gary Arvanigian and his wife, Janis, Nancy Brown and her husband, Kermit and Stephen Grier and his wife, Patty; three grandchildren, Mark, Christine, and Nicole; five great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and extended family members.

Besides his parents, Aram was predeceased by his first wife, Elsie Hovanesian and his siblings, Irene, Alice, Edward, and George.

A visiting hour will be held from 10-11am on TUESDAY, August 29th at Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, 635 Grove St., Worcester. A funeral service will begin at 11am. Burial will follow at Worcester County Memorial Park. Arrangements are in the care of the Callahan, Fay & Caswell Life Celebration Home, 61 Myrtle St., Worcester

In lieu of flowers his family asks that memorial donations be considered to Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, 635 Grove St., Worcester, MA 01606 or to Beacon Hospice, 36 Williams St., Leominster, MA 01453 for the exceptional care provided to Aram.”

 

Worcester, MA – For Armenian Americans it's “The Mother Community”- 2

I have reproduced a history of the Armenian community of Worcester, MA as narrated by the late James H. Tashjian in his booklet titled “A Bicentennial History of the Armenian Community of Massachusetts”, a Publication of the Armenian Bicentennial Committee of Massachusetts, 1976. A copy of the book was personalized to me by my high school classmate Ohan Armenian who did his graduate studies in the Tufts University and lived in Boston for a number of years before moving to Los Angeles. Vahe H. Apelian

“The Armenian discovery of Worcester, dating back to 1860, was occasioned by at least seven different factors.

The first of these was that Worcester was admirably situated along the main trunk railroad which ran from the port of New York to Boston, with Worcester an important way station. The city was “easy acess” for immigrants, a comfortable five hour or so ‘no transfer” ride from New York.

The second was that up to the turn of the century, when New England began do decline as the most important industrialized region of the nation. Worcester was no only the most heavily industrialized city in the country but its prospering mills were turning out a great variety of products. The city experienced a continuing voracity for fresh (and) cheap unskilled and skilled labor, and the Armenians were willing to work at anything. 

Third, the salaries paid by Worcester mills were higher than in other areas of the country.

And a fourth was that the Armenians coming into New York regarded Worcester as America. “When one speaks of America”, wrote an Armenian newspaperman in 1891, “one speaks of Worcester”. The Armenians simply followed one another to the city, where they were to get their feet wet in the American waters. 

A fifth arose from the above. The Armenian immigrants were assured housing and jobs through the presence of compatriots in the city. There was a “grapevine” among the Armenians which quickly provided lodging and work for a newcomer.

The sixth was that Worcester had had considerable experience with migrant workers dating back perhaps to 1840’s. In contrast to Boston’s “dour and restrictive reception of foreigners,” Worcester had already become quite accustomed to the presence of the “strange people” who indeed produced the wealth of the city, the Worcester government and the top brass of the factories husbanded the workers so as not to lose their labor to other cities.

And finally, there was the fine public transportation (trolley) system which th4e city early boasted. Workers could in fact reside in areas somewhat distant from their factories, in fairly decent wards.  What is more, this public mobility served a radius of twenty miles and thirty-five towns. One could get out “to the country” in no time for a nickel, or see fellow Armenians in Millbury or Oxford over a Sunday.

The founding of the Worcester colony is usually traced back to a certain Garo (Garabed) or Charles, his family name is lost) who came to Worcester in 1867 as the houseservant of missionary George C. Knapp, who had served in innermost Armenia. 

The story goes that Garo was performing his duties for 75 cents per month when an Irish laundress told him that he could earn 8 dollars per week in the Worcester factories. Gary left Knapp and went to work at the Washburn and Moer Wire Mill, which was to become the principal place of employment for Armenians who were to follow Garo to the city.

Now, this Garo was obviously a Protestant – he worked for a Cong rationalist missionary and apparently sent word to his people back home that he was working at a munificent salary at the “The Wire Mill”. The response was slow in coming but come it did! Thus, the very first arrivals after Garo were Protestant Armenians.

In 1875 Hovannes Yazijian got to Worcester. His wife Sara soon joined her husband,who was then a hand at “The Wire Mill”. In a 1933 interview, Mrs. Vazijian recalled “when I arrived in Worcester, there were about a dozen Armenians there. I was the first Armenian woman to settle there. All the Armenians were accustomed to gather nightly in our house (on Laurel Street) for long discussions. …In the following years the number of Armenians, both Apostolic and Evangelical, grew. I was joined by other women – Mrs. Tophanelian, Mrs. Toomajian, Mrs. Borakian, Mrs. Erestsian and Mrs. Kazanjian We always met. There was no difficulty in finding jobs in Worcester. The Wire Mill saw that the Armenians were good workers. Each man averaged 8 dollars per week, at that time considered a most satisfactory salary….”

Others followed – Hovannes Potigian, Melcon Markarian who said that when he reached Worcester, he found ten Armenians there.  The Seropian brothers joined the little community in 1889, then Tovmas Nishanian and his brother Onnig arrived and Tovmas became the first Armeina of Worcester to marry an “odar” (non-Armenian) and the child of his union – alas, his (or her) given name has been lost – became the first Armenian infant born in Worcester. 

Meanwhile, in 1878, a signal thing had happened – Aaron Yenovkian had beome the first native of the city of Kharpert in Armenia to set eyes on Worcester. Two decades later his “Kharpertsi” compatriots were to become so numerous in Worcester that he city which had become synonymous among Armenians as “America”, enjoyed still another sobriquet -  “Little Kharpert”.

In 1887, 300 Armenians were reported to be living in Worcester. This massive bachelor representation in the community were living in rented homes which resembled communes. It was not uncommon to have as many as 12 living in a single room These households were efficiently organized, and each occupant not only paid an equal rent for his lodging but performed certain housekeeping chores.

Now, consisting mostly of members of the Apostolic faith, the community started conversations on how best to introduce the sinews of community existence and activity to the colony. Mikael Tophanelian’s arrival in the city accelerated the process of gathering the scattered Armenians among themselves. He had already participated in the organizing of the “communities” in New York and Providence, and he early started propounding the establishment of an Apostolic church in Worcester. But the community was small and although individual earnings were comparatively large, the immigrant workers were monthly sending sums back home to assist their families. 

But Tophanelian argued that the founding of such a church in Worcester would be of benefit to all Armenians in New England. He took to traveling throughout the region, visiting tiny Armenian colonies in other cities and villages, soliciting money from these compatriots for a “New England Church”. And they gave. 

St Savior's Armenian Apostolic Church

The genesis of that effort which was eventually to result in the opening of St. Savior’s Armenian Apostolic Church, dates back however to 1882. In that year, a group of migrants from the village Huseynik, near Kharpert, founded an organization, the first formal society in Worcester, calling itself the “Illuminatorian Education Union of Huseynik”, one purpose of which was to encourage the building of an Armenian Church in the city. This effort was further buttressed by the emergence of the famed “Haigagan Gadjar” – “Armenian Club” – in 1888, which too warmly espoused the church cause.  

In 1890, the die was cast. By that time the community had practically taken over the Laurel – Chandler – Wellington Street area and, through some now mysterious dealings on the part of an architect known as “Mr. Haskell”, a suitable lot was found for church building flush on Laurel Hill.

Members of the community took part in the actual construction of the Church. Finally, on Armenian Christmas Day, January 6, 1891, the Armenians of Worcester consecrated their St. Savior (Սուրբ Փրկիչ) Armenian Apostolic Church, with the Very Reverend Hovsep Sarajian, who had been sent by the great Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, Archbishop Megerditch Khrimian Hairik, to serve as pastor of and consecrator of the first Armenian Church, the first branch of the earliest Christian Church in history to be built anywhere in the New World, officiating. The historic structure was lately sold, and the parishioner snow occupy another structure.

***

The Protestant community had been no less active in terms of its own needs.

IN 1881, that group had started holing prayer meetings in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Yazijian (Mr. Yazijian appears to have been a lay leader of the Congregation Faith).

Mr. Moer, a co-owner of The Wire Mill and himself a devout Protestant, interceded (1892) with a Rev Sleeper to allow Armenians to use the facilities of the latter’s church for services. On January 1, 1892, Worcester’s Evangelical Armenians officially established their own Church of Holy Martyrs (Հայ Մարտիրոսաց Եկեղեցի) but the edifice was not to be consecrated until January 14, 1901. It is still in use.

The Armenian (Evangelical) Church of the Martyrs.

Note:

Worcester, MA  - For Armenian Americans it's "The Mother Community" - 1

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/08/worcester-ma-for-armenian-americans-its.html

(to be continued)

 

 

 

Antranig Chalabian: Emperors, Tsars, and Commissars

 Antranig Chalabian: Emperors, Tsars, and Commissars

1. The booklet

https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2021/09/in-hindsight-emperors-tzars-and.html

2. The Emperors

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2021/09/in-hindsight-emperors-no-2.html

3. The Tsars

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2022/01/emperors-tsars-and-commissars-tsars-no3.html

4. The Commissars

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2022/01/emperors-tsars-and-commissars.html

Lebanon: I only can..... wish

 Sako Kassabian

Բնագիրը կցուած է ներքեւը։ Attached is my translation of Sako Kassabian's recent posting.

Courtesy Sako Kassabian

  

I wish all those responsible for not supplying water...

 

I wish all those responsible for not supplying electricity...

 

I wish all those responsible for not providing internet access...

 

I wish all those responsible for not providing lighting on the roads, ignoring the safe driving, and for reckless traffic...

 

I wish all those responsible for the collapse of the monetary system and the financial system that supports it...

 

I wish all those responsible for bringing citizens to the status “illegal” immigrants and illegal immigrants to the status of citizens...

 

I wish all those responsible for denying the local farmer’s harvest but making it easy for those who illegally import fruit and vegetables...

 

I wish all those responsible for turning the rivers and the seashore into sewage-dumps, destroying the biosphere, scraping the mountains into sand, selling it and getting rich...

 

I wish all those responsible who sectarianized every citizen's right...

 

I wish all those responsible for leaving immigration the only path forward for the young people, students and recent graduates, thus separating the families…

 

I wish all those who are responsible for rendering pensions, life long savings  of teachers, doctors, employees, worthless and denying them their daily bread …

 

I wish all those who lie claiming they are telling the truth, offer dirt as if candies, and who throw lavish party when people are scraping to get by…

 

I wish all who experience every day what was said above, but keep silent and tolerate...

 

I am still in Lebanon, where there are those who can only afford a 2 Amps worth electricity from a local commune, and there are those who spend $800 for two hours long entertainment……. 

 

I can only wish.

***

 Բնագիրը՝

Սագօ Գասապեան 

Լիբանանի մէջ,

 

Ջուր չմատակարարող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Հոսանք չմատակարարող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Ինթըրնէթ չմատակարարող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Ճամբաներուն լուսաւորում չմատակարարող, անապահով եւ սանձարձակ երթեւեկութիւնը անտեսող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Դրամանկումի եւ անոր հովանաւորող պանքային համակարգի բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Քաղաքացիները գաղթականի կարգավիճակի եւ գաղթականները քաղաքացիի կարգավիճակի հասցնող  բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Հողագործին տեղական արդար հունձքը մերժող եւ փախստական-անօրէն միրգ-բանջարեղէն-ուտեստեղէն ներմուծելու դիւրութիւն տուող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Գետերը եւ ծովափը կոյուղի-աղբանոցի վերածող, կենսոլորտի ջարդ կատարող՝ լեռները քերելով աւազ դարձնող, այդ աւազը ծախող եւ հարստացող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Քաղաքացիի ամէն իրաւունք համայնքայնացնող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն, կը ցանկամ...

Երիտասարդ մարդուժին, ուսանող թէ նոր շրջանաւարտներուն՝ գաղթի ճամբան միակ փրկութեան ճամբան ձգող, ընտանիքներ բաժնող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Ուսուցիչին-բժիշկին-բանուորին, բոլորի՛ն տասնամեակներու հանգստեան թոշակը զերոյացնելով անոնց Հանապազօրեայ հացը հարամ ընող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն, կը ցանկամ...

Սուտը իրականի պէս խօսող ցեխը սեխի պէս ծախող ճգնաժամին խրախճանք սարքող բոլոր պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Վերի ըսուածները ամէն օր ապրող, բայց լռող եւ համակերպող բոլոր երեւելի եւ աներեւոյթ պատասխանատուներուն կը ցանկամ...

Լիբանանի մէջ եմ տակաւին, հոն՝ ուր մարդ կայ «2 ամբէր իշդիրաք»ով ապրող, մարդ ալ կայ 800 տոլարի 2 ժամնոց երգահանդէսի գացող...։

Ես կրնամ միայն ցանկալ։

Worcester, MA – For Armenian Americans it's “The Mother Community”- 1

Vahe H. Apelian

 

Recently Worcester, MA came under spotlight thanks to “America Got Talent” show.  Rarely, in my view and experience, has the city of Worcester had such a national exposure. Although the city was recently noted that it ranks among the most livable city, it remains overshadowed by its famous sister city, some 35 miles east of it Boston, America’s most historic city.

 But for the Armenian in America, Worcester, MA is the “Mother Community” where the Armenian Americans started organizing themselves as a community. I quote from my blog titled “Wooster is Haleb”, where I noted: “… if there is a temporal and a geographical point of refence about which the Armenian American existence coalesces in the New World, that undoubtedly would be Worcester, MA, made famous by Dr. Hagop Martin Deranian’s book titled “Worcester is America". “Wooster” and “Haleb” are the Armenian soundings of the two cities where the roots of Armenians run deep. Those interested by read the blog, by click on the following link: http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2022/06/wooster-is-haleb.html

In my next blog of this sequel, I will quote what James H. Tashjian wrote about Worcester, MA in his booklet “A Bicentennial History of the Armenian Community of Massachusetts”. The booklet was published in 1976 by the Armenian Bicentennial Committee of Massachusetts. The booklet was gifted to me by my HS classmate Ohan Armenian who did his graduate studies in Tufts in Boston.

As to the person who put Worcester on the spotlight. I quote the following By Drew Weisholtz, on July 12, 2023, 9:59 AM EDT / Source: TODAY

“A blind singer who has autism has taken “America’s Got Talent” by storm. Lavender Darcangelo, 27, wowed the audience and judges with a stirring performance on the July 11 episode of the NBC series. For her audition, she sang “Out Here on My Own” by Irene Cara and earned a standing ovation from the judges and the audience.”

“That was sensational,” Simon Cowell said. “Everything about that was just magical. Magical. You have such a talent. You have such an amazing personality.” “This is an audition I’ll never forget,” he added.

Indeed so. The lyrics of the song she sang is the following:

Sometimes I wonder where I've been,

Who I am, 

Do I fit in.

Make believein' is hard alone,

Out here on my own.

We're always provin' who we are,

Always reachin'

For that risin' star

To guide me far

And shine me home,

Out here on my own.

When I'm down and feelin' blue,

I close my eyes so I can be with you.

Oh, baby be strong for me;

Baby belong to me.

Help me through.

Help me need you.

Until the morning sun appears

Making light

Of all my fears,

I dry the tears

I've never shown,

Out here on my own.

But when I'm down and feelin' blue,

I close my eyes so I can be with you.

Oh, baby be strong for me;

Baby, belong to me.

Help me through.

Help me need you.

Sometimes I wonder where I've been,

Who I am,

Do I fit in.

I may not win, 

But I can't be thrown,

Out here on my own,

Out here on my own.

 

  

Ի պէտս զարգացելոց մանկանցն Թորգոմայ

Արմենակ Եղիայեան

Մկրտիչ Պեշիկթաշլեանը, հայ քնարերգութեան լաւագոյն ներկայացուցիչներէն ըլլալով հանդերձ, բաւականաչափ չէ ընթերցուած մասնաւորաբար իր լեզուին պատճառով, որ գրաբարախառն է, իսկ յաճախ ալ բոլրովին գրաբար է, ինչպէս ստորեւ բերուած գողտրիկ հատուածը, որ գրեթէ անծանօթ է արդի հայուն:

         Ահա առիթ մը՝ մեր յարգանքի մէկ համեստ տուրքը վճարելու  այս տաղանդաւոր բանաստեղծին եւ անզուգական հայուն:  

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Երգ հայրենի

Մինչդեռ յուսով խայտայ բնութիւն                       Մինչ  յոյսով կը խայտայ բնութիւնը

Յետ դառնաշունչ ձմերայնւոյն                            Դառնաշունչ ձմեռէն ետք, 

Եւ ի գաւառն իմ հայրենի                        Եւ իմ հայրենի գաւառս

Գեղածիծաղ դառնայ գարուն,                              Կը վերադառնայ գեղածիծաղ գարունը,

Մինչ բոյր ի բոյր փթթին ծաղկունք                      Մինչ  բոյր առ բոյր կը փթթին ծաղիկները

Եւ ճռուողեն նորեկ ծիծռունք,−                           Եւ կը ճռուողեն նորեկ  ծիծեռնակները,−

Ի քեզ ես դարձ առնեմ յայնժամ,                          Քեզի պիտի վերադառնամ այն ատեն,

Ո՛վ ցանկալիդ իմ Հայաստան:                              Ո՛վ ցանկալիդ իմ Հայաստան:

 

Ո՛չ հելվետեան ինձ դաշտավայրք                         Ո՛չ զուիցերիական դաշտավայրերը

Կամ թէ զուարթ մարգագետինք,                           Կամ թէ զուարթ մարգագետինները,

Ո՛չ քան զքեզ չքնաղագեղ                                    Ո՛չ ալ քեզմէ աւելի չքնաղագեղ են

Իտալական պայծառ երկինք,                               Իտալական պայծառ երկինքը, 

Հեռի քեզմէ պանդուխտ գոլով՝                             Քեզմէ հեռու պանդուխտ ըլլալով՝           

Քոյովդ յար տապիմ անձկով,−                            Քու  անձկութեամբդ կ’այրիմ յար,−         

Ի խանձարուրդ իմոց       կենաց,                          Քեզի՝ իմ կեանքիս խանձարուրիդ, 

Ո՛վ Հայաստան, առնեմ ես դարձ:                         Ո՛վ Հայաստան, պիտի վերադառնամ:

 

Գայցեն աւուրք, ուր մանկութեան                        Պիտի գան այն օրերը,  ուր մատղաշ  

Անկցի տիոցս իմ գեղ դալար,                                          Հասակիս  դալար գեղը  պիտի խամրի,

Եւ յինէն խոյս տացեն վայելք                                          Եւ ինձմէ խոյս պիտի տան կեանքի

Կենաց թեթեւ  ի գարշապար,                                           Վայելքները ՝ թեթեւ ոտքերով,

Ուր հէգ մուսայս մատն ի յերեր                           Երբ հէգ մուսաս, իր երերացող  մատներով,

Մոռանայցէ երգել զսէր,−                                               Պիտի մոռնայ սէրը երգել,−

Զնինջ ի ծոցդ առնում յայնժամ,                           Այն ատեն  քու ծոցիդ մէջ պիտի ննջեմ, 

Ո՛վ ցանկալիդ իմ Հայաստան:                              Ո՛վ  ցանկալիդ իմ Հայաստան: 

 

(Բազմավէպ,   1850,   թիւ   14)                                   Մկրտիչ Պեշիկթաշլեան (1828 −1868)

https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2021/01/blog-post_17.html

Օրերը

Օրերն անդարձ, խոստմնադրուժ ճամբորդներ են, 

Որոնք, նման տերվիշներու, բոկոտն անձայն, 

Ժամանակի անծայր ճամբէն կ’անցնին-կ’երթան:

 

Ձեռքերուն մէջ իրենց ունին թագ ու աստղեր 

Եւ շրթներուն՝ իմաստութիւն, վիշտ ու ծիծաղ,– 

Մեծ իղձերու անոնք աներգ մեռելաթաղ:

 

Ոչինչ մնաց, անցեալի դուռն է յաւէտ փակ, 

Եւ մանկութիւնս՝ հեռու պարտէզ կախարդական: 

Մեկնող օրեր զիս խաբեցին ու ետ չեկան:

 

Բայց կը սպասեմ ես տակաւին իրենց դարձին՝ 

Ստանալու խոստումն անուշ, որ կ’ուշանայ,

Մինչ երկինքը կ’ըլլայ օրուան դագաղն անհուն:

                                                                Եղիվարդ

                                           (Եղիշէ վ. Տէրտէրեան)

 

Ոչինչ չի փոխուի

Իմ մահով ոչինչ չի փոխուի կեանքում, 

Ու չի պակասի աշխարհում ոչինչ,- 

Մի լոյս կը մարի հինգերորդ յարկում,

Կը մթնեն մի պահ աչքերը քո ջինջ։

Բայց հաւքերն էլի հարաւ կը չուեն, 

Մանուկներն էլի կը խաղան բակում,

Կանաչներն էլի ցօղով կը թրջուեն, 

Ծաղիկներն էլի կը շնչեն մարգում։ 

Կը վառուի լոյսը հինգերորդ յարկում, 

Կը ժպտան նորից աչքերը քո ջինջ, 

Իմ մահով ոչինչ չի փոխուի կեանքում, 

Եւ չի պակասի աշխարհում ոչինչ։ 

                                                       Համո Սահեան

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«Սիրա՛ն, Սիրա՛ն , կը ճանչնա՞ս այս ձայնը, կը լսե՞ս այս շունչը եւ կը զգա՞ս այս մատներուն շոյանքը խենթ ու սէրէ գինով մարմինիդ վրայ... տառապա՜նքը այս մատներուն՝ պրկուած ու փարումի պատրաստ թեւերուդ շուրջ... Է՜հ, գիտեմ, չունի՜ն անոնք իտէալ քնքշութիւնը երազած ձեռքերուդ, բայց փոխարէնը  կը ճանչնան, գիտե՜ն, գիտե՜ն բոլոր տարաշխարհիկ տենչանքները, անծանօթ ու խենթ ապրումներու անյագ ծարաւը, որ կը գալարէ մարմինդ սիրոյ գիշերներուն... Կը ճանչնա՞ս շրթներս, հեթանոսական մարմինիդ մութ ճամբաներէն երկիւղածութեամբ ու աչքերնին գո՜ց սահող այս շրթները ... մարմինիդ սրբավայրին բոլոր դարպասներուն ու բոլոր խորաններուն առջեւ նո՛յն վերացումով ու վարարող ջերմեռանդութեամբ տառապող այս շրթները... հե՜ւքը այս շրթներուն, հե՜ծքը այս շրթներուն ու վէ՜րքը այս շրթներուն, մազերէդ վեր, ուսերէդ վար, կուրծքերուդ դէմ... Կը լսե՞ս անոնց միա՛կ ու անվերծանելի աղօթքը, անոնց գիտցած միակ կանչը՝ խեղդամահ թշուառին որպէս հուսկ ճիչն աղաչական, բերկրապատա՜ռ ծիծեռնակին իբրեւ ճռո՜ւողն անմահական՝ Սիրա՜ն, Սիրա՜ն..

Անդրանիկ Ծառուկեան

 

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[1]  Սիրան Զարիֆեան՝ Սեզա