Here’s a poem Bhupen Hazarika introduced to me. Somewhere, as long time ago, I had heard Hazarika recited a poem, and he had mentioned the name of the original poet, Rasul Gamzatov. I liked the poem so much that I had to go find the poet, and surprisingly, I found a book of his poems translated into English in the local library. Since then, Gamzatov has been my favourite poet, and that peom Hazarika recited, I know it by heart.

Here’s the poem:

There are three songs people treasure,
Songs to which they smile or cry;
First, a song of deep-felt pleasure,
Is a mother’s lullaby.

Second is the song that, stroking
Her dead son’s cold cheek and breast,
A mother sings, from sorrow choking…
Third and last – come all the rest.


Rasul Gamzatovich Gamzatov (8 September 1923 – 3 November 2003) was probably the most famous poet writing in the Avar language. Among his poems was Zhuravli, which became a well-known Soviet song. Gamzatov was awarded the prestigious State Stalin Prize in 1952, The Lenin Prize in 1963 and Laureate Of The International Botev Prize in 1981. (From Wikipedia)

The Zhuravli (The White Crane) in Youtube.