Wishes For Armenia

WHEN bright dews fall on leaf and flower, And stars light up the skies, Then tears and sparks commingled Burst forth from my dim eyes. Forget thee, O Armenia! Nay, rather may I be Transformed into a cypress dark, And so give shade to thee ! The starry sky no comfort brings : To me it seems a veil Strewn with the tears that Ararat Sheds from his summit pale. O graves ! O ruins! to my soul Your memory is as dear As to the lover’s thirsting heart The maiden’s first love-tear. And shall my spirit after death Oblivious be of you ? Nay, but become a flood of tears, And cover you with dew ! Not sword nor chains, abysses deep Nor precipices fell, Not thunder’s roll, nor lightning’s flash, Nor funeral torch and knell — Not all of these, ’neath death’s dark stone Can ever hide from me The glowing memories of the past, Our days of liberty. Forget you ? Ne’er will I forget, O glorious days of yore ! Rather may I be changed to fire And bring you back once more ! When twinkle pale the stars at dawn, When dewy buds unclose, And tenderly the nightingale Is singing to the rose, All Nature’s harmonies, alas ! Can ne’er give back to me The sighs that sound where cypress boughs Are moaning like the sea. Forget you, black and bitter days ? No, never! but instead Rather may I be turned to blood, And make your darkness red ! Armenia’s mountains dark may smile, Siberia’s ice may smoke, But stern, unbending spirits still Press on my neck the yoke. Inflexible and cold are they; When feeling surges high, And I would speak, they stifle down My free soul’s bitter cry. Forget thee, justice ? Never! But ere my life departs, Rather may I become a sword, And make thee pierce men’s hearts! When e’en the rich man and the priest A patriot’s ardor feel, And when Armenian hearts at length Are stirred with love and zeal — When free-souled sons Armenia bears, These days of coldness past, And fires of love and brotherhood Are lighted up at last — Shall I forget thee then, my lyre? Ah, no ! but when I die Rather may I become thy voice, And o’er Armenia sigh !