White Darknesses

Bahtiyar Hidayet, Azerbaijan

If the chastity

of fair-faced beauties

is sold for black money,

then those fair faces

are white darkness.

–

If the white hair and beards

of elders and elderwomen

become white flags before oppression,

then those white hairs, white beards, white locks

are white darkness.

–

All beauty

is wrapped in white fog.

That white fog

is white darkness.

All the darkest deeds

are planned in white houses.

Those white houses

are white darkness.

–

In this land,

the purest person

is a dead one wrapped

in a white shroud.

That white shroud

is white darkness.

They say

white days are coming.

Those white days

are white darkness.

–

They cut down

the planet’s white lungs—the forests.

Natural waters

are dwindling away.

Yet water filled

the lungs of the poor;

water filled

their eyes as well.

The planet’s white lungs, too,

are a white darkness.

–

Oh, you oppressors,

at least leave the poor

some cheap wood for their coffins.

For these white darknesses

will never

come into the light.

Son misralar xüsusilə təsirlidir:

For these white darknesses

will never

come into the light.