Layeq Sherali was born on 20 May 1941 in Panjakent into a farming family. After attending the maktab and teacher training college, he completed his education in 1958 and began studying language and literature in Stalinabad (now Dushanbe) in 1959. His first poem was published in the same year, bringing him recognition. He worked as an editor at Radio Tajikistan, edited literary magazines and was politically active. In 1965, he became a member of the Writers' Union and in 1991 was named ‘People's Poet of Tajikistan’. Layeq combined classical Persian-Tajik poetry with influences from world literature, especially from Ferdowsi, Rumi and Khayyam. He died in Dushanbe in 2000; his memory is still honoured today.

You won't find me anymore

Even if you look for a hundred years, you won't find me anymore,
If days and nights you ask God, you won't find me anymore.

Even if you grow every morning on my way
Like a velvet carpet of grass, you won't find me anymore.

I had one way, one face and went my own way,
You have a hundred ways and faces, you won't find me anymore.

You are short-minded, you are shameless, you are not worthy of love, 
Neither are you among the hardworking, you won't find me anymore.

Even if you were eye from head to foot, you won’t see me anymore,
If you are magic and sorcery, you won't find me anymore.

Even if you wash all the stains I have in the mirror of my heart
from your love with tears, you won't find me anymore.

I seethe in myself and dry up like a mountain spring,
If you are Amudarja*, you won't find me anymore.

Even if you are a paradise born, the paradise of your paradise it’s me,
If you are from the blue sky, you won't find me anymore.

* Amudarja is a big river in Central Asia.

14.3.1980

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Me and the river

Two road builders and travelers we are – me and the river, me and the river,
Two companions and two lonely ones we are – me and the river, me and the river.

From one source we come, one mountain source,
To the depths from the height– me and the river, me and the river.

I take from it the excitement, it takes from me the poem,
Two restless and noisy ones we are – me and the river, me and the river.

Its heart is drunk with storms, my heart is drunk with rebellion,
Two drunkards and melancholics we are – me and the river, me and the river.

* A ghazal is a type of poetry in the Persian literature.

It sings ghazals*, me too, it screams, me too,
Two poets, two hearts in love we are – me and the river, me and the river.

Neither care of blames, nor care of policies
Two madmen, two carefree ones we are – me and the river, me and the river.

* * Layla and Majnun are famous lovers in the Persian literature, like Romeo and Juliet.

In memory of the beloved we weep – the beloved of our dreams,
Two Majnuns** in the field we are – me and the river, me and the river.

Sometimes we don't fit in ourselves, we boil over and get upset
In revenge to the shore and the riverbed – me and the river, me and the river.

We fear neither path blockers nor troublemakers;
Two seekers of tomorrow's path we are – me and the river, me and the river.

With many sufferings and pain the song of life on the lips
we run after the world – me and the river, me and the river...

19.07.1984 

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Translation from Tajik by Muhammadsalim Azizmurodov

The Tajik original can be downloaded here: