Rouben Sevak: The Harlot

By Rouben Sevak

 Translated by Tatul Sonentz

 

It was way past midnight, a muggy night of showers,
Under the wet lantern light you stood there forlorn,
The water sang on the sidewalk, cars ran at random;
You waited there, lingering on that bit of plot of yours.

A strained smile sobbed deep in your sapphire eyes,
There was the strain of pain on your brazen painted lips,
And under the pretty paired decline of your décolletage,
There was no bound to ardors that would last all night.

You were waiting prepared, submissive and compliant,
without love or choice, to offer yourself, eyes shut tight,
To that condescending male who had bread to impart…

I felt a faint flame, like pity, or passion within my heart,
And maybe that night, I would have ceded to you, sister,
If a lone teardrop had not congealed on my cheeks…
It was way past midnight, a muggy night of showers.

Rouben Sevak (1885-1915)
Rouben Sevak (1885-1915)
Tatul Sonentz-Papazian

Tatul Sonentz-Papazian

Tatul Sonentz-Papazian is the former editor of the Armenian Review and director of the ARF and First Republic of Armenia Archives, based in Watertown, Mass. He has been a contributor to the Armenian Weekly for over 50 years. He currently directs the Publications Department of the Armenian Relief Society.
Tatul Sonentz-Papazian

Latest posts by Tatul Sonentz-Papazian (see all)

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*