Sunday, May 03, 2015

Live from Holy Cross: Arthur Nersesian reading Krikor Zohrab's Magdalene

Click to hear the audio segment.

Arthur Nersesian - photo by Khatchik Turabian

Magdalene
by Krikor Zohrab
A

The heavy make-up on her face could not quite hide the natural beauty of a girl barely seventeen years of age. The flamboyance of her careless attire—the gaudy blues and reds of her dresses, the black loose stockings that had to be constantly hitched up—was, it seems to me, her own simple-minded way of avenging herself by offending the sensibilities of ladies. When she gazed at you with those large and luminous eyes of hers you almost felt a velvety touch on your skin. The tresses of her abundant and artificially blond hair which were nearly always in disarray, tumbled down about her shoulders giving her head a slight backward slant as if by their weight.

She ushered me into her tiny apartment on the fourth floor of a tenement building and assuming the droll air of a barker drumming up customers, she showed me her bed—a big, wide, deep bed that occupied nearly half of the room—and the clean white sheets and pillowcases; after which she forced me down on it and laughing all the while like a street urchin, took hold of my head and said: “Won't you give us a kiss then?'”

She was an experienced girl and in her earnest efforts to dispel the timidity of a raw youth, she overwhelmed me with proofs of her affection. There was something inebriating in the aroma emanating from her body.

“I am the youngest tenant in the whole building," she said. "I'll be seventeen on Easter Day.”

B

She sat curled up beside me, making herself as small as a kitten, her head nestling against my chest. I had known her for only five minutes, yet she spoke as if we were old, intimate friends, wanted to know all about me, asked endless questions, but before I had a chance to answer any of them, she began telling me her own story—the usual sad story of her kind of unfortunate girl that may be summed up in a couple of sentences.

“My poor little mother died two years ago,” she began, investing that word ‘little’ with such tenderness that it pierced my heart. “I never got to know my father. I have a younger sister aged fifteen, and an even younger brother; also a grandmother. They are all I've got. My sister and brother go to school. I support them.”

She delivered the last phrase with evident pride, as if to say: I am the head of this family; I am responsible for them; they depend on me.

“Enough of this talk,” she suddenly burst out trying to dispel the gloom that her words may have created, and for an instant I felt the entire weight of her body on top of me, her lips pressing very hard against mine.

C

That was as far as things went that day however. She stubbornly refused to satisfy my youthful ardor. “Nothing doing,” she kept saying. “Today is Good Friday. What are you, an infidel?” It was indeed Good Friday. I must confess nonetheless that I was taken aback by her piety.

“Do you plan to take communion?” she wanted to know.

“I don’t know… I guess so," I mumbled. “And you?”

She gave me an astonished look as if I had asked an impertinent question.

“They don’t give communion to the likes of us!”

“Why don’t they?”

“Because we can't repent knowing that on the next day we will be committing the same sin. And if I don’t sin, who will look after my brother and sister, and my old grandmother?”

She seemed to be familiar with all the rules and regulations of the Church and spoke with the self-assurance of a priest and was even more unsparing on herself than a priest would be, I thought. I remember to have reflected then that if the Church’s regulations were applied consistently, businessmen, shopkeepers, journalists, and lawyers should not be allowed to take communion either because they too were compelled to sin every day by lying and deceiving for professional reasons.

“How old are you?” she said,

“Twenty.”

And as she went on hugging and kissing me, I kept raising all kinds of objections against the Church’s discriminatory practices. The Church was, after all, a human rather than a heavenly institution, I thought, and like all such institutions, it was bound to be riddled with all kinds of inconsistencies and injustices.

“I'm going to church now,” she said after giving me a last, dismissive kiss. “Come back after Easter. I’ll be waiting for you. We are still friends, aren’t we? Promise you won’t see another woman in the meantime.”

I promised—the promise of a twenty-year old.

After that we loved each other for about a year. She may have been unschooled and plebeian, her love may have been of the mercenary kind, but she was herself a thoroughly honest and decent person, which may explain why she enjoyed wide popularity among men of all ages, nationalities, and classes.

When I got to know her better, she would occasionally express embarrassment over her lack of education, but never her work. And all the while she took care of her little brother and sister from a distance and did so with such exemplary selflessness that I am sure it never occurred to her that she was sacrificing anything by selling her body to total strangers.


D


There was a mob at the entrance of her building and I recognized among them thieves, murderers, and similar riffraff jostling one another in their efforts to get in and satisfy their curiosity. A couple of policemen stepped out with pen and paper in their hands—probably having just registered the crime that had been committed earlier that day. When I asked the people nearest to me the reason behind this commotion, I was told: “They hit one of the girls in the building.”

My premonition, which never fails me in such moments, sent a cold current down my spine. Breaching the wall of humanity that stood between me and the entrance, I rushed up the staircase and into her tiny flat which was now jammed by tenants. I saw a doctor leaning over her bed. And there, lying in her bed, I saw her for the last time.

Contrary to her habit, she was now dressed in white—a white as pure and as dazzling as snow. Only on her left breast I noticed a red stain, like a rose in an immaculate field.

As soon as she caught sight of me she tried to smile. I heard the doctor stating that her condition was hopeless. She expressed a final plea to take communion, at which some people ran to the nearest church, but returned soon after saying the priest had refused to come. A little later she breathed her last and except for her little brother and sister, no one shed a single tear for her.


E


Years later, when I recounted this incident to a church dignitary, a theologian, he explained in some detail the doctrinal reasons why she had been refused the sacrament, pointing out the difference between adultery and promiscuity on the one hand, and prostitution on the other, adding that in the first instance the Church was prepared to make certain allowances, but in the second, it must take a more uncompromising stance.

Though I could not refute them, his explanations seemed to me specious as well as cruel and unconvincing.

And never, I shall never forget her lying there in that wide and deep bed of hers, with a red rose on her breast.
  
(1902)

Krikor Zohrab, “Magdalene,” in Ara Baliozian, trans. and ed., Zohrab: An Introduction, Cambridge, Mass.: National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, 1985, pp. 61-66.


Live from Holy Cross Church of Armenia - an audio series recorded on April 21, 2015

This week we launch a series of audio clips recorded live on April 21, 2015, at Holy Cross Church of Armenia, New York, NY. On that evening, we commemorated the lives of Armenian writers who were deported, killed or survived the Armenian Genocide, by reading a selection of their work.





Click here for the welcome note and invocation performed by David Bakamjian

Our heartfelt thanks to our readers; The Parish Council and the Board of Trustees, Holy Cross Church of Armenia, New York; Houshamadyan.org; The International Literature Festival Berlin (ilb), and, the Lepsiushaus Potsdam. Special thanks to Sig Rosen for the audio recording. 

Short biographies of the readers: 
Nancy Agabian is the author of Princess Freak and Me as her again:True Stories of an Armenian Daughter. Cellist David Bakamjian has a multifaceted career as a recitalist, chamber player, recording artist, orchestral musician, teacher & workshop director. Peter Bricklebank teaches creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College and the Hudson Valley Writers Workshop; he is published in literary magazines and book reviews. Catherine Fletcher is a poet and an editor for Rattapallax magazine who recently served as Director of Poetry Programs at City Lore. Alina Gregorian is the author of Flying Bark and the chapbooks Navigational Clouds and Flags for Adjectives. Pierre Joris is a Luxembourg-American poet, translator, essayist & anthologist; his latest book is Barzakh (Poems 2000-2012). Lola Koundakjian is a poet who curates the Armenian Poetry Project. Vasyl Makhno is a Ukrainian poet, essayist, and translator. Norman Manea is a Romanian writer, professor & writer in residence at Bard College, MacArthur & Guggenheim Fellow, translated in more than 20 languages. Marianela Medrano is a Dominican writer and psychotherapist living in Connecticut. Ralph Nazareth is Professor of English at Nassau Community College. Arthur Nersesian has published eleven books and runs a weekly writing workshop in the East Village that is open to all serious writers. Nicole Peyrafitte is a Pyrenean-born multidisciplinary artist whose videos, paintings, writings, singing & cooking are often integrated into multimedia stagings. Aaron Poochigian, a poet and translator, won the New England Poetry Club's Daniel Varoujan Prize in 2012. Alan Semerdjian is a writer, a musician, and an educator who lives in the East Village. Sweta Srivastava Vikram is a three times Pushcart Prize nominee, novelist, poet, essayist, and columnist. Sarah Van Arsdale's fourth book of fiction, In Case of Emergency, Break Glass, will be published in spring, 2016 by Queen's Ferry Press; she teaches at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts and NYU. George Wallace, author of 28 chapbooks of poetry, is writer in residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace. Aida Zilelian is the writer of The Legacy of Lost Things, her debut novel which was awarded the 2014 Tololyan Literary Prize.

Short bios of the authors:  
Diran Chrakian, pen name Indra (1875 – 1921) poet, writer, painter and teacher escaped slaughter but died after deportation. Ardashes Haroutounian (1873 – 1915) poet, translator and literary critic. Komitas (1969 – 1935) an ordained priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer, and choirmaster studied in Berlin. Although he survived the Genocide, he suffered a mental breakdown and died in a psychiatric hospital in Paris. Shushanik Kurghinian (1876 – 1927) a socialist and feminist poet fled the tsarist regime returning to Soviet Armenia where she lived until her death. Donabed Lulejian (1875 – 1917) studied at Yale and Cornell and became a professor at Euphrates College. He survived the Genocide then died of typhus after saving hundreds of lives. Rouben Sevak (1885 – 1915) a Lausanne educated M.D. and poet. Atom Yarjanian, pen name Siamanto (1878 – 1915) a Sorbonne educated editor and poet. Daniel Varoujan (1884 – 1915) teacher and poet studied in Venice and Ghent. Nigoghos Sarafian (1905 – 1973) prolific author and publisher lived in Paris and wrote extensively about the post-Genocide Armenians. William Saroyan (1908 – 1981) Pulitzer prize winning dramatist and author whose family fled the Lake Van region.  Baruyr Sevak (1924 – 1971) prolific poet and literary critic killed in a car crash after criticizing the Soviet corruption in Armenian SSR. His poem The Unsilenceable Belfry was dedicated to Komitas and to the remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. Vahan Tekeyan (1878 -– 1945) writer and editor was travelling in Jerusalem thus escaped the deportation. Zabel Yessayan (1878 – 1943) studied literature and philosophy at the Sorbonne; she fled before her arrest in 1915 and died under mysterious circumstances in Siberia. Krikor Zohrab (1861 – 1915) lawyer and writer served as a member of the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies.

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Դանիէլ Վարուժան։ Մենաւոր

Դեկտեմբերի պայծառափայլ իրիկուն.
Երկընքին տակ, ադամանդի նըման ցուրտ,
Ուղեկորոյս հովը կանցնի մայելով:
Վըճիտ լոյսերն աստղերուն
Արիւն կու լան սառոյցին վրայ լճակին:
Հոգիս կառչած մըտածուﬕ մը յամառ`
Կը սպասէ գոց պատուհանին ետև լուռ
Չեկա՜ւ. – «Եւ ա՛լ պիտի չըգամ», – ըսաւ ան.
Որբ շեﬕս վրայ մըխիթարիչ քայլն անոր
Պիտի բընաւ չըծաղկի.
Եւ դեռ հոգիս կը սպասէ՜:
Ի՜նչ մենաւոր սենեակ, ի՜նչ կեանք մոռցըւած.
Յիշատակի մը մէջ յանկարծ կը փըղձկի
Սիրտըս տըրտում… Կը փըղձկի՜…
Ըզգացուﬓերն այսպէս կու լան մութին մէջ,
Քաղցըր, տըրտում, անյագո՜ւրթ.
Եւ կը խըﬔն շրթունքներս
Արտասուքներս հոսանուտ:
Ո՜հ, ի՛նչ ցուրտ է հոս, Տէ՛ր իմ.
Հանգեր է կայծը վերջին
Կրակարանիս մէջը քաﬕ՜ն կ’ողբերգէ:
Կը զգամ եղեամն այս թողլըքուած խուցին մէջ,
Որ մազերուս վըրայ սեւ
Ձիւնասպիտակ ծաղիկներն իր կը բանայ.
Բոլոր աստղերն, երկինքէն վար սառնաշիթ,
Օրհասական իւղն օծման
Ճակատիս վրայ կը հեղուն:
Կահերուն տակ թաքթաքուր
Ամէն վայրկեան մութն աւելի կը բարդի,
Կը տարածէ անկողինիս վրայ արդէն
Դամբանական ծաղկոյթը իր սեւաշղարշ:
Ո՛հ, չեմ ուզեր, ես չեմ ուզեր այս ժամուն
Լամբարիս լոյսը մատնիչ.
Վարագոյրիս ժանեակներէն կաթկըթող
Լուսընկան բա՛ւ է ինծի:
Մարդիկներուն շըռայլօրէն տալէ վերջ
Աւիւն և սէր, ծաղիկներն իմ էութեան,
Գըտնել զանոնք ﬕշտ ծանծաղ,
Գըտնել Աստուած ﬕշտ ըսփինքս
Ոչնչութիւնը պըճնող,
Եւ հեռացուիլ այն սիրելի էակէն`
Որուն թարթափը կոպերուն կը բաւեր
Արծարծելու համար կրակներն արիւնիս,
Միսիս ճենճերն, սըրտիս բուրվառն հոտեւան,
Հիմա, աւա՜ղ, ի՞նչ կը մընայ ալ ինծի.
Մոխի՜ր, մոխի՜ր, և աւերա՜կ. և նոյն իսկ
Խորունկ սոսկում մ’իմ իսկ անձիս նայելու:
Ո՜հ, չեմ ուզեր, ես չեմ ուզեր այս ժամուն
Լամբարիս լոյսը մատնիչ:
Երբ ա՛լ դատարկ է հոգին
Ահաւոր է տեսնել յատակը անոր:
Փլատակներուս կանգուն մնացած կատարին
Լուսնին ոսկի ծեփող մէկ շողը բա՛ւ է:
Ես չե՜մ ուզեր լամբարիս լոյսը մատնիչ.
բայց լուսինն ալ, աւա՜ղ, լուսինն ալ ահա
Հո՛ն, դըրացի երդին ետև ծածկուեցաւ:
Հովը կու լայ, կը կաղկանձէ, կը թըռչի:
Կրակարանիս մէջ պաղեր է մոխիրն իսկ:
Հովը կ’ոռնայ… հովը բացաւ ﬔղմօրէն
Պատուհանիս փեղկը հին:
Օ՜հ, ո՜վ Տէր իմ, ո՜վ Տէր իմ,
Չայցելուած այս սենեակը ո՜րքան ցուրտ է.
Արցունք մ’ահա մարգարտի պէս սառեցաւ
Ծայրին վըրայ թարթիչիս,
Եւ սիրտըս դեռ տըրտո՜ւմ տրտո՜ւմ կը փըղձկի:


Հեթանոս Երգեր

Friday, May 01, 2015

Another quiet anniversary

On April 30, 2015, The Armenian Poetry Project turned 9

This one was another quiet celebration because the centennial of the Armenian Genocide was commemorated all over the world during the same month. 

I believe APP helped me achieve several goals: bringing Armenian poetry to an international audience; access to the masses, including those who don't have Armenian books in their homes and public libraries; translations of some poems into English, Spanish and French; encouraging readers to discover new writers, while providing forgotten poems and their authors a new readership.

In the last two months, APP organized two readings commemorating the authors who died or survived the Genocide, one on April 21st with a repeat program coming up on May 26, both in New York City. 

Ongoing projects and resources include: 

1 - Information and events around the DEAD ARMENIAN POETS SOCIETY. This was the core of what eventually became APP. I am happy to share guidelines on how to run evenings dedicated to reading works by late Armenian authors.

2. As a way of archiving, I have uploaded audio files to SoundCloud. This will help APP reach a larger audience as the blog format restricts us for posting them all in the same page, and iTunes cannot archive old episodes.
The APP group on SoundCloud is here.

3. We continue to provide support for cultural events and help in finding authors for reading series in the United States and Canada.

4. This was our fifth year with the poetry competition, sponsored by the ASA.

5. Regular postings -- albeit not daily -- of poems, translations and announcements. 

I invite all readers to stay in touch, add comments and share your thoughts.



All best, and thank you for being a reader and supporter of the APP.

Lola Koundakjian
Curator and Director, The Armenian Poetry Project