BALLAD OF CHILDHOOD
Childhood—
the dusty streets where I ran barefoot,
a bowl of water,
and a small piece of bread.
Childhood— the hopeful miracles of my life,
those days when I believed
that one could live forever
beneath the shade of a single tree.
When the moon rose— it chased after us,
and the stars… were the light
falling into my mother’s tears.
Now I look to the sky—
and it feels so low, so very low…
as if, to take back my childhood,
the heavens keep shrinking closer
to the reach of my hands.
I once thought childhood
was a single round loaf of bread—
I gave half to a bird,
ate half myself,
and the remaining half…
where have these fleeting years scattered it?
Life—
where have you hidden my childhood?
Now, no longer do we race through the streets,
instead the years themselves
race with us.
Today we flee backwards,
from grown-up life into childhood.
But in my eyes—
not wonder anymore,
only the trembling light
of tomorrow’s fears.
When musician winds played their music,
The rains had also sung their quiet song.
Until the moon had done make up in the sky,
Woken up from its heavy sleep the Sun.
The alarm clock is ringing "Wake up!" and “Wake up”,
Someone is awake, others are in slumber.
If only you knew that cage is home, but sadness,
Come here! You too join this life, dear...
Tear away the sadness lying in your eyes,
Banish the sad voices from your heart and soul.
Do take steady pace with firm confidence,
Fill your every day with a miracle, be full...
***
My devotion to you weighed heavily,
My love cost me a lot, what should I do then?
"I found true happiness in your heart, my love,
Did you become happy by letting me down?
I was lost, by losing reached my own soul,
These frauds and cunnings have opened my eyes.
Whose heart are you now getting slowly in?
And someone is leaving your heart, say good byes.
***
I got wet without getting in water,
Slanders poured down like rain.
I went back without starting my way,
I was defeated without having fought.
Sprinkling dust with my tears,
I sweep them with my eyelashes.
Don’t you consider me a human?
As if you are a human yourself!
Learned from the devils yesterday,
Became their teacher she today.
□
MIRACLE
When musician winds played their music,
The rains had also sung their quiest song.
Until the moon had done make up in the sky,
Woken up from its heavy sleep Sun.
The alarm clock is ringing “Wake up!” and “Wake up!”
Someone is awake, othersare in slumber.
If only you knew that cage is home, but sadness,
Come herel You too join this life, dear…
Thear away the sadness lying in your eyes,
Banish the sad voices from your heart and soul.
Do take steady pace with firm confidence,
Fill your every day with a miracle, bu full…
I WANDERED
I wandered and strolled million years,
Million years I begged for calmness, my Lord.
Shadows of hatred crossed my road
Million years I did not utter any word.
Oh the pain of living hopeless days,
Oh my futile wishes, flippant disease.
Oh you wine of love in my goblet
Oh love – unconsumed for million years.
I WRAPPED
I wrapped myself with old troubles,
My head is veiled with distress again.
I had promised to cry no more, but
My eyes are weeing like a heavy rain.
Picture of sorrow is in my eyes today
Like an ancient book my heart is in dust.
My life is confusing like a whirlwind
Flowers of my hope turned all yellow, alas.
I am awake while I am sleeping
I pray even though I am asleep.
I am apart from this world and time
Do you know, where had I lost myself?
Stars of the night – my sorrow, my pain
And the night itself – very loyal friend.
Indeed, I didn’t love, I were not loved?
My hatred of myself will never come to end.
My dreams take to the memory land
I hold a heap of crumpled photos in my fist
If only you would return back to me
Oh happiness left in our old pictures.
Godly sorrow blossoms in my chest
It is the great love, a poem lifelong.
It will reach souls of mankind forever
With all my heart if I sing a song.
My soul, never give up because of the pain
Always stay ready to battle, to fight.
With the heart full of sincere wishes
I welcome morning’s early light.
Oh my heart, be pure as a sheet of paper,
Dreams are different, goals are alive.
There is no any space for sorrow
I call you happiness, new page of life!
* * *
My footsteps get heavier
The more I walk, the heavier these roads.
I could not know whether Almighty
Had sent to me these exams and odds?
My dawns get fully darkened
When I woke up with sorrow
When all of my wishes fell down
When I am in fire above and below.
Sitting alone with loneliness,
I drink my pain uttering a toast.
If I open my eyes from dreaming
I fell down from the sky to the dust.
You my dreams, please become my life
Unhappy days are only daydream ever.
Oh God, wake me up from my life but
Let me to be in dream forever.
□
PAIN
Love is absorbed into my body,
I cannot help singing a love song.
Each of these poems that I wrote
Is an oath I gave to the truth.
The sparks you see in my eyes
Are the lights come from Heaven
And the wishes bloomed in my heart
Are the mirabilis you have never seen.
My hope will never wither, dry up
Spring always flourish my soul.
There is a great pain which is able to
Flourish my veins and bones at all.
I was made from love of The Almighty
Does the life know who I am?
In my tiny body, in my little chest
How much talent and love do I have?
Does the life know who I am?
* * *
Life killed all the passion of mine,
Squeezing my heart like pomegranate.
He wanted to make my gentle white soul
Put on the sorrow’s black garment.
All my hope is becoming weaker and fading
My mountains collapsing down to earth.
Day by day my feet are plunging
Day by day my soul is losing its strength.
Lightning is crashing inside of me
As if my chest will be cleaved.
I am afraid, oh my Lord, I am so afraid
What if the whole sky falls down to my head?
* * *
□
SONG OF BELIEF
I wander in the gardens of my dream,
When the surroundings are under the moonlight.
I lie down being smeared with happiness
When the sky is hugging his stars tight.
Angels sing their lullaby for me
I sleep calmly with pleasure in peace.
Belief of tomorrow rises within my heart
I believe my future will occur like this.
My hands reach to stars, even to the moon
If only I decide to stretch them a bit.
The eyes of the sun will become blind
If only I stare a minute at it.
The eyes of the sun will melt…
* * *
I missed you dear, I missed a lot
Not willing to step in the path of lovesick.
Although I forget the oldest memories
My clothes hold the smell of your cheek.
Darling, these distances separated us
Our love weakened not reaching to destination.
Every second of mine passes seeking for you
May happiness be waiting us the next station.
The roses which I bought for you
Are withering and becoming yellow.
All the sickness of my heart is yours,
I sent you fragrance of spring, my love.
***
I failed to meet the rivers, my God
Sorrow encircled the days and the weeks.
The streams looking up for me dried
Because of the merciless sickness.
I failed to meet the width, my God
I got locked up in my room alone.
Swallow warbled so as to inform me that
Spring had come and already has gone.
I failed to meet my dreams, my God
Uploading all the sorrow to my shoulders.
Pains did enslave my pure soul
Have I been a slave of my old tortures?
I failed to meet seas, my God
Fiery breath burns my throat.
Bring me the smell freedom, please
And bring me news on liberty, free wind.
* * *
As if they caught a glimpse of something
Dogs yell and bark without any pause.
It is obvious that seeing the devil
Mulberries slightly rave in their dreams.
Having a doubt from something weird
Water in springs go on murmuring.
As if the horror of the death
Is closer to us in the night.
* * *
I cannot believe in what I trust
Indeed, spring returned to my heart?
I did not feel inconvenience,
All the ropes for me pulled apart.
Thank you, God, everything happened true
Ices of my soul melted in my eyes.
My goblet was filled with gold pieces
Goodness, I got rid of unhappiness.
□
- Jakhongir Nomozov
Uzbekistan
ABOUT THE POET:-
Jakhongir Nomozov, born on January 24, 1997, in the Pop district of Namangan region, is a distinguished journalist, poet, and translator. He serves as a correspondent for Uzbekistan in various Azerbaijani publications, including "Butov Azerbaijan" newspaper and "YAZARLAR" journal, and represents the Turkish state "SIIR SARNICI" electronic magazine in Uzbekistan. A member of several prestigious international organizations, including the Azerbaijan Journalists' Union and the World Young Turkic Writers Union, Nomozov has received numerous awards, such as the "Abay" medal and "Pride of Science" award. He has published several books, including "Rebels in My Heart", "Sacred Space", "Awakening Song", and "Breath of the Sun", and his poems have been featured in international anthologies and publications in over 25 countries, including Kazakhstan, Turkey, India, and the United States. Nomozov is a student of the University of Journalism and Mass Communications and has been recognized with the "Guzel Alania Award" by the Turkish state. He is also an official ambassador of the Asih Sasami Indonesia Foundation to Uzbekistan and a member of the Azerbaijan Turan Writers' Union.