An anthology, Zahrad: 100 Poems, has been published at the initiative of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society Yerevan Office and with the cooperation of the “Spyurk” Scientific-Educational Center of the K. Abovyan Armenian State Pedagogical University. Zahrad was born in 1924 in Constantinople and died in 2007 in İstanbul.
On October 10, 2024, at the Avetik Isahakyan Central Library in Yerevan, the book was launched.
Ruzan Arakelyan, manager of the Hamazkayin Yerevan Office, opened the book launch.
“The poetry of Zahrad is notable for three reasons. First, because it is simple, pure, and unadorned. Second, because he has created narrative poetry and when we read it, we feel we are reading a fairy tale. Third, Zahrad has created characters that universal; everyone can related to them,” she said.
Hamazkayin Central Executive Board member Artashes Shahbazyan spoke on behalf of the board.
“Zahrad for us is also a scribe of history and a witness. In publishing the book, we are handing that legacy to the next generation,” he said.
The anthology had been prepared by Suren Danielyan. He spoke, saying that Zahrad wrote about man, suffering man. “I remember a notable expression of his: ‘let sad people have life and laughter and let the dead be well remembered.’ Zahrad brought that life and laughter to our poesy. He also reclaimed for Constantinople its leading role in our literature. He was a sign of a new awakening.” Mr. Danielyan added that we are all characters in Zahrad’s creations: suffering people, lonely and torn. Zahrad lives in us all.
The volume’s editor, Knarik Abrahamyan, the poet Khachik Manukyan, and the literary scholar Nona Davtyan also spoke.
Some of Zahrad’s poems have been made into song. The American-Armenian singer and translator Berj Turabian performed them.
The actor Aram Kostanyan and the poetry reciter Gayane Samuelyan read some of his works.
The library director, Ruzanna Barseghyan offered closing remarks.
The publication was sponsored by Hamazkayin Central Executive Board member Arevik Caprielian, who was joined by Berj and Anahid Turabian, Arto and Zabel Khrimian, and Lena Ohannesian-Streeter.
