The Azerbaijan State Translation Centre (AzSTC) is pleased to announce the publication of a collection of poems “Two Faces of the Threshold”, which includes selected poetic samples by David Shemokmedeli, the famous Georgian poet.

The book which begins with the preface “The Drops in the Mirror of the Soul” includes the poet’s poems on life, death, love and nature, such as “Drop on the Mirror”, “Love”, “Toast”, “Fairy of Inspiration”, “The Father and the Son”, “In the Memory of My Friend”, “Children” and “To My Son.”

David Shemokmedeli, who has become famous for his books of poetry and prose such as “Greatness”, “Voice of Silence”, “My Share”, “Pale Landscapes”, “Beyond Words”, “Why Birds Cry in Winter” and is known to Azerbaijani readers from periodicals, is presented for the first time in a volumetric form.

The author of the preface and translator of the poems is Imir Mammadli, a famous poet-translator, and the editor is Shafiga Shafa. 

THE DROPS IN THE MIRROR OF THE SOUL

If you want to discover the soul of a nation, you should first get acquainted with its art and poetry. From this point of view, getting a closer acquaintance with the poetic patterns of any nation means getting to know the spirit, moral state and values ​​of that nation more closely.

Every nation, especially a nation with ancient roots, does not only have its national, but a literary history as well. From this perspective, David Shemokmedeli’s literary legacy, including his poetic samples, is undoubtedly an integral part of centuries-old Georgian literature, an ultimate expression and continuation of his artistic thinking. If we imagine the poetic map of the Georgian people as a bright mosaic, then Shemokmedeli’s poetry is an eye-catching colour, a special shade in that mosaic.

David Shemokmedeli (real name – David Takidze) was born in the village of Shemokmedi of Ozurgeti district in Western Georgia. The literary pseudonym of the poet is also related to the name of his native village. “Shemokmedi” means “creator” in Azeri. Apparently, the village was distinguished for creative abilities of its inhabitants, so he was known by this name. As the poet was brought up in this creative environment, he always found himself in old memories.

It is true that poetry is also a constant return to oneself, homecoming. Every time the poet returns to himself in each new work, he invites numerous readers to his spiritual world, as well as to his homeland. However, every time he knows that wherever he goes, even if he goes to the end of the Earth, in fact, he does not go anywhere, because the spiritual world (home) of a creative person is in his soul.

In the work of the genius German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”, there is a saying addressed to some writers: “They muddy the water to make it seem deep!” Indeed, there are quite a few poets who muddied their poetic water for this purpose; such poets have been at all times, in the history of literature of every nation. But when you enter the river of his muddy words, you see that the water does not even reach the knees of anyone. David Shemokmedeli’s poetic stream is thick and deep. He does not resort to such tricks, the depth, essence and meaning of his poem are apparent.

Nowadays, the communication possibilities have extended so much that the Earth, which we used to know as endless, has turned into a big village. Everyone is aware of everything, new information comes from all over the world at once, but unfortunately, this abundance of information does not increase our knowledge, does not enrich our spiritual world, on the contrary, it is added to our database and burdens it even more, gradually making our emotions and spirituality indifferent. True knowledge, as ever, is given to a person by an artistic work, the work that opens up new horizons for the spiritual growth of the individual, revives the “inner self” in him, and keeps his emotions awake. We hope that the poetic examples presented in this book, the author’s ‘drops in the mirror of the soul’, will touch the hearts and souls of everyone, go into our mind not as new information, but as a sensitive vibration into our soul.

Imir Mammadli  

Copies of the edition are available at the bookstores below:

‘Libraff’

‘Kitabevim.az’

‘Akademkitab’

‘Akademiya’ Book House

‘Baku Book Center’

‘BookZone’Book House

‘Chiraq’ Book House

‘Chinar’Book House

Book House of the Presidential Administration of the Azerbaijan Republic

Sales kiosk of Azerbaijan University of Languages