Vahan Tekeyan
(1878-1945) Armenian lyric poet, journalist and public figure, native of Constantinople. He moved to Egypt in 1914, and survived the Armenian Genocide. He was one of the founders of the Ramkavar Party (West Arm: Ramgavar)
The Armenagans, reformed Hnchaks, and Sahmanadir Ramgavars joined together in 1921 in Constantinople to form the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL) - or the Ramgavar Azadagan Party - with a non-socialist platform. Vahan Tekeyan and Mihran Damadian were instrumental in the founding of the party. It remains active today.
Published Works
- 1901 Burdens
- 1914 Miraculous Rebirth
- 1919 From Midnight Until Dawn
- 1934 Love
- 1934 Song of Armenia
- 1944 Odes
- A complete edition of his works, including prose and translations, 1945-1950
We Shall Say to God (poem from 1917)
Should it happen we do not endure
this uneven fight and drained
of strength and agonized
we fall on death's ground, not to rise
and the great crime ends
with the last Armenian eyes
closing without seeing a victorious day,
let us swear that when we find
God in his paradise offering comfort
to make amends for our pain,
let us swear that we will refuse saying:
"No, send us to hell again.
We choose hell. You made us know it well.
Keep your paradise for the Turk."