Nima Yooshij is the poet who broke the conventions of Persian literature and created his own style; so, Nima Yooshij poems are the start point of contemporary Persian literature. Nima Yooshij (Persian: نیما یوشیج), whose actual name is Ali Esfandiyari, was born on November 12, 1896, in Mazandaran, Iran. He was a contemporary Persian poet who initiated a new trend in Persian poetry known as She’r-e no (“new poetry”), also known as She’r-e Nimaei (Nimaic poetry). In the following, we provided some of the best Nima Yooshij poems in English.
What Are Nima Yooshij Poems in English?
Nima started writing poetry when he was just in school. He carried poetry out of the courtroom and brought it into public language. Using the genuine voice of the people, Nima got color and flavor to his poems. We use the terminology “new poetry” to imply that Nima Jooshij poems are similar to “blank verse” in English – with some distinctions, of course – and emphasize some differences. (others may choose to use the terminology “free verse poetry” as well). Now, let’s read some of Nima Jooshij poems in the following.
زردها بی خود قرمز نشده اند
قرمزی رنگ نینداخته است
بی خودی بر دیوار
صبح پیدا شده از آن طرف کوه ازاکو اما
وازنا پیدا نیست
گرته ی روشنی مرده ی برفی همه کارش آشوب
بر سر شیشه ی هر پنجره بگرفته قرار
وازنا پیدا نیست
من دلم سخت گرفته است از این
میهمانخانه ی مهمان کش روزش تاریک
که به جان هم نشناخته انداخته است
چند تن خواب آلود
چند تن ناهموار
چند تن ناهشیار
Transcript:
Zardha bi khod ghermez nashodehand
Ghermezi rang nayandakhteh ast
Bikhodi bar divar
Sobh peyda shodeh az an tarafe Azako ama,
Vazna peyda nist
Garteye roshani mordehe barfi hame karash ashob
Bar sare har shishehye har panjare begerefteh gharar
Vazna peyda nist
Man delam sakht gereftast az in
Mihman khaneye mihman kosh rozash tarik
Ke be jane ham nashnakhteh andakhteh ast
Chand tan khabaloud
Chand tan nahamvar
Chand tan nahoshyar
English Translation:
Yellow hasn’t become red for no reason
Red didn’t appear on the wall
for no reason
Morning is apparent from Azako mountain
But, you can’t see Vazna mountain
You can see the light sparkles of dead snow
On the windows
Vazna is not apparent
I feel sadness in my heart
Because this guesthouse kills its guests
Its days are dark
Guests fight together aimlessly
Some are sleepy
Some are abnormal
Some are incognizant
Nima Yooshij poems Analysis:
Note 1: Pay attention to these lines, “Yellow hasn’t become red for no reason
Red didn’t appear on the wall
for no reason.”
Nima implies that the weather was snowing last night, and in the morning, the yellow leaves of trees became red because of the reflection of sun rays.
Note 2: Vazna mountain is on the west side of his village, and locals believe that whenever Vazna is cloudy, it will rain; in this context, it implies that bad things will happen.
Note 3: By guest house, Nima implies the homeland (Iran) and says that whoever tries to seek freedom is killed these days. The guest house (Iran) is even dark on days because they’re killing people shouting freedom.
Note 4: while some are fighting for freedom, some are sleepy!
Note 5: As you go through the poem, you will see the harmony of every line with the whole idea, and you can imagine every line he says.
Note 6: one of the most distinguishing features of Nima Jooshij poems is that the colors are the motif.
مي تراود مهتاب
مي درخشد شب تاب
نيست يك دم شكند خواب به چشم كس و ليك
غم اين خفته ي چند
خواب در چشم ترم مي شكند
نگران با من استاده سحر
صبح مي خواهد از من
كز مبارك دم او آورم اين قوم به جان باخته را
بلكه خبر
در جگر ليكن خاري
از ره اين سفرم مي شكند
نازك آراي تن ساق گلي
كه به جانش كشتم
و به جان دادمش آب
اي دريغا به برم مي شكند
دست ها مي سايم
تا دري بگشايم
بر عبث مي پايم
كه به در كس آيد
در و ديوار به هم ريخته شان
بر سرم مي شكند
مي تراود مهتاب
مي درخشد شب تاب
مانده پاي آبله از راه دراز
بر دم دهكده مردي تنها
كوله بارش بر دوش
دست او بر در،مي گويد با خود
غم اين خفته ي چند
خواب در چشم ترم مي شكند
Transcript:
Mitaravad mahtab
Miderakhshad shabtab
Nist yek dam shekanad khab be cheshmo kas O lik
Ghame in khofteye chand
Khab dar cheshme taram mishekanad
Negaran ba man estadeh sahar
Sobh mikhahad az man
Kaz mobarak dame ou avaram in ghome be jan bakhteh ra
Balke khabar
Dar jigar, likan khari
Az rahe in safaram mishekanad
Nazok araye tane saghe goli
Ke be janash keshtam
Va be Jan dadamash ab
Ey darigha, be baram mishekanad
Dastha misayam
Ta dari bogshayam
Bar abas mipayam ke be dar kas ayad
Dar O divare be ham rikhteshan
Bar saram mishekanad
Mitaravad mahtab
Miderakhshad shabtab
Mande paye abele az rahe deraz
Bar dame dehkade mardi tanha
Kole barash bar dosh
Daste ou bar dar, migoyad ba khod
Ghame in khofteye chand
Khab dar cheshme taram mishekanad
English Translation:
The moon glows
Moonlight in the sky
Nothing has hurt (people’s) sleep, but
Worry over (these political) situations
Has held me up with tearful eyes
Dawn has stayed up worried with me
Morning wants me to announce
Its arrival to people
But, a thorn
Stops me from doing so
An elegant rose flower
Which I planted with my own hands
Watered it with my soul
Puts its thorn in my heart
I wander around
To find a door
It’s useless
Wrongly, I expect the arrival of someone
Their wrecked homes fall on my head
The moon glows
Moonlight in the sky
Me, with blisters for going on a long road
A lonely man
Standing before the village backpack on his back, hands on the door murmurs
Worry over (these political) situations
Has held me up with tearful eyes.
Nima Yooshij poems analysis: The obvious point is that you can imagine every line you read! Great illustration!
Note 1: Yooshij is talking disappointingly about people’s unawareness over political and social events. He says that I tried a lot to wake people to fight for freedom, but it’s useless.
Note 2: Nima Yooshij poems are full of symbols, especially from nature like the moon and moonlight.
Note 3: the poet says that many people are sleeping whatever happens, but the worry over the political issues has held him awake all night!
The poet believes that he talked so much about his concerns in his poems, but those people who even read his poems disappointed him ( An elegant rose which he planted but hurt him with thorns.)
What Are the Most Famous Nima Yooshij Poems?
The three most popular Nima Yooshij poems are Afsaneh, Quqnus, and Roja.
Roja is in Tabari, which is his local dialect in Mazandaran.
In the following, you will read more of Nima Yooshij poems.
در شبِ سردِ زمستانی
کورۀ خورشید هم، چون کورۀ گرمِ چراغِ من نمی سوزد و به مانندِ چراغِ من
نَه می افروزد چراغی هیچ
نَه فروبسته به یخْ ماهی که از بالا می افروزد
من چراغم را در آمدْ رفتن همسایه ام افروختم در یک شبِ تاریک
و شبِ سردِ زمستان بود
باد می پیچید با کاج،
در میانِ کومه ها خاموش
گم شد او از منْ جدا زین جادّۀ باریک
و هنوزم قِصِّه بَرْ یاد است
وین سخن آویزۀ لب
₍₍که می افروزد؟ که می سوزد؟
چه کسی این قصه را در دل می اندوزد؟₎₎
در شبِ سردِ زمستانی
کورۀ خورشید هم، چون کورۀ گرمِ چراغِ من نمی سوزد.
Transcript:
Dar shabe sarde zemestani
Koreye khorshid ham, chon kore garme cheraghe man va be manad cheraghe man
Na miafrozad cheghi hich
Na foro baste be yakh mahi kea z bala miafrozad
Man cheragham ra dar amad raftane hamsayeam afrokhtam dar yek shabe Tarik
Va shabe sarde zemestan bud
Bad mipichid ba kaj
Dar miyane komeha khamosh
Gom shod ou az man joda zin jadeye barik
Va hanozam ghese bar yad ast
Vin sokhan avizeye lab
Ke miafrozad? Ke misozad?
Che kasi in ghese ra dar del miandozad?
Dar shabe sarde zemestani
Koreye khorshid ham, chon koreye garme cheraghe man nemisozad
English Translation:
On the cold winter night
The rays of the sun
Burns not hot as my lamp (it doesn’t burn.)
No lamp is as light as mine
It doesn’t freeze by the cold moon hanging above
I lit my lamp because of my neighbor
On a dark night
It was a cold winter night
The wind passed the pines
Among silent homes
She lost me from this narrow road
But still, I remember the story
My lips repeat again and again:
Who lights? Who burns?
Who saves this story in his heart?
On the cold winter night
The rays of the sun
Burns not hot as my lamp (doesn’t burn.)
Nima Jooshij poems analysis: The first important thing to know is that by “my lamp,” he means his poems.
Nima says that he lit his lamp (his poms) for those who had no help in dark days, but they left me. However, still, he wonders who wants to light the lamp of hope and who would use it or who wouldn’t?!
Conclusion
It’s noteworthy to mention that Nima Jooshij poems are challenging to translate because of the many symbols. In this article, we provided 3 of the best Nima Jooshij poems with analyses. Enjoy!
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