Translation of the Poem "The Tale of Liberation" into English ( قصه ی رهایی )

 

We had grown upon the earth,
Countless,
Speaking in a thousand colors,
Until the cloud,
With the clear murmur of rain,
Caressed the weary body of the soil,
And the thirst of the plain
Was quenched
By the rise and fall of each syllable of the stream.

We stood firm
Upon the soil,
That gazed with a thousand looks
Into the eyes of the sky,
Until the tender bud
Pierced the soft body of the branch,
And the lustful touch of the dew
Enchanted the fragile veins of the leaf.

We had flown upon a silken cloud,
Heavy with bounty,
That rolled in upon itself a thousandfold,
Until, with the roar of each thunder,
A new image
Was etched upon the bruised face of the sky,
And the longing of the garden,
With the selfless offering of its soul,
Was fulfilled, drop by drop.

We had blown with the breath of a breeze,
Boundless,
That crept into the green garment of the garden,
Until, with the trembling of each leaf,
An unheard song was sung,
And the closed hall of the sky
Was opened
By the whirling, amorous dance of birds.

We had written of an unspoken desire,
Unbidden,
So that with a thousand dreams,
The nighttime tales of every corner of this land
Might be filled
With the anticipation of liberation.

Arsalan – Tehran
5th of Azar, 1403

Notes on the Translation

1. Tone and Imagery:
   The translation aims to maintain the lyrical and deeply symbolic tone of the original poem.
2. Nature Symbolism:
   Words like "the bruised face of the sky" and "the trembling of each leaf" evoke both the fragility and power of nature, aligning with the themes of renewal and liberation.
3. Flow and Rhythm:
   The free verse style of the original has been preserved to ensure the rhythm flows naturally in English.

This English version reflects the poet's profound connection to nature and humanity’s timeless yearning for freedom and renewal, capturing the spirit of Arsalan's work.