REFUGE of Dalvorig’s valiant men,
Of strife and dangerous days!
Lo, all Armenia towards thee
To-day in hope doth gaze.
Thou black and naked mountain-side,
That, when winds o’er thee sweep,
Dost like a dragon hiss, or shore
Wave tortured of the deep-
Thou wild and desert Roaring Cliff
O’er Porkh that risest steep!
Many Armenian hearts, methinks,
Till now are turned to stone;
No love or pity wakes in them
Their brothers’, sisters’ moan;
But passion and fierce jealousy
Have in them made their nest.
O that thine heights may dry our tears,
Put heart within our breast!
O Roaring Cliff, protect the poor,
The plundered and oppressed!
A monument of freedom,
All glorious dost thou stand;
The ice and snow, to torrents turned,
Lick at thy feet the sand.
Thee Zovasar and Maratoog,
Andok and Gepin see
With envy; those far-shadowing mounts
Are high, but thou art free.
Of our deliverance, Roaring Cliff,
Do thou the cradle be!
Lighthouse of the Armenians thou,
Fear of the wild Koord’s heart;
Against the cruel tyrant Turk
Our fortress-wall thou art.
Only to lions dost thou give room,
In den and awful cave;
Only the eagle on thy peaks
A resting place may crave.
O Roaring Cliff, be evermore
The stronghold of the brave!
If against Dalvorig countless foes
Should come, and bid us pay
Twenty years’ tax, “Come take it, then!”
The Armenian will say.
But, drawing to the Roaring Cliff,
He on the foe will rain
Bullets and stones, instead of gold
With interest in its train.
O wild and rocky Roaring Cliff,
Be then their shield again!
Let brave Armenians muster
From every village home,
From Berm, Karag and Khiyank,
From Khoulp and Muchtegh come;
Let Sim’s heights too be populous;
Fight, o’er the precipice
Roll down the foe, that Roaring Cliff
May see a sight like this-
Koords, Turks by thousands, fallen down
Within its deep abyss!
Let Sassoun’s lions assemble,
Fierce roaring, on thy crown;
Thence, like a raging torrent,
Let them toward Moush rush down,
Mowing before them briar and thorn!
Let field and town arise,
And stretch, to help Sassoun’s brave men,
Their hands, with sparkling eyes.
O Roaring Cliff, give to them strength,
Courage, and high emprise !
And when Armenia shall be free,
A fortress we will rear,
Named Roaring Cliff; Armenia’s flag
Shall o’er it glitter clear.
Let the surrounding valleys
And mountains joyful be!
Let the young matrons and the maids
All clap their hands for glee!
And let the cannon, that great day,
Boom out, with loud acclaim;
Let Roaring Cliff, Armenia’s pride,
Be aye an honored name;
And let our land, from age to age,
Still celebrate its fame!
(Mihran Damadian)
More Poetry from Mihran Damadian:
Mihran Damadian Poems based on Topics: Courage, Sisters, Liberty & Freedom, Man, Anger, Tax, Fear, Age, Snow, Youth, Hope- The Son Of Dalvorig (Mihran Damadian Poems)
- The Imprisoned Revolutionist (Mihran Damadian Poems)
- The Lament Of Martyred Sumpad's Mother (Mihran Damadian Poems)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, Youth Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Place Poems, Name Poems, Hope Poems, Home Poems, Fear Poems, Gold Poems, Art Poems, Anger PoemsBased on Keywords: risest, armenians, sim, koords, far-shadowing, koord, berm, fortress-wall, sassoun, dalvorig, moush