Such dangerous steps I take today –
And who will look after me?
Will I find comfort in the poppies
That in fairyland grow free?
Yet it seems even the poppies wither –
They’re tumbling down the slope.
And when the sky starts falling too,
It smashes my heart’s hope.
There’s really no eluding
What destiny has shown.
Any sacrifice is useless
When it’s written down in stone.
Every further step’s a sin
Even though it’s brief,
But guiltless, sinless days
Bring my heart such grief.
Let me be a girl of snow
In a fairy tale from long ago.
Let me sing, poets, let me sing,
And let your applause sweetly roll.
Today, flowers bloom in my heart –
White lilies, the queens of the soul.
For you, a garden’s unfurled,
And my lilies will cover the world.
Butterflies of gorgeous hues are dancing here before my eyes,
And as I write down every verse, it seems I am in paradise.
I have become Happiness’s choir.
Look at me, people, and admire!
Applaud me, cheer me, warmly praise me –
Help my inspiration raise me.
May in my words joy be revealed.
Dear folks, let yourselves be healed!
I always prayed that the Almighty one day
Would send me my life’s one true light,
And yes, I’ve regrets in longing this way,
But our meeting brimmed with delight.
I never thought sweet words of joy
Would swiftly turn quite so hollow,
But now it seems I’ve become a mere toy
Of the deceptive romance that followed.
I wanted you to be my spirit’s good healing
And not just caress my hair.
Stop here now: you’re betraying my feeling
I won’t forgive you this sham love affair.
Inspiration came from heaven
Like a breath of magic to me.
It quickly purged all my grief.
It was a dove of liberty.
I’ve no patience now with passion,
And continually being swept away.
It just roared briefly then pounced,
Like a lion from a rock on its prey.
I’ve been able to climb the heights.
My homeland’s the infinite sky.
I’ve found my pride in the clouds –
I’ll lie on a feather bed, I.
I’ve come through this metamorphosis,
MY SOUL IS A WHITE BUTTERFLY!!!
I was down here, looking up at the sky,
When the mountains suddenly came down!
A little bit more and I’d be as high,
Waving a flag from the peak’s crown.
My feelings come second in the race –
I hold a woman’s honour most dear.
I’ve no wish to be a forgotten face,
But I’ll keep my conscience clear.
And yet when Love deserted me,
I just had to cling on as I could.
How unforgiving I turned out to be,
Though I knew you intended no good.
Of course, my feelings were never returned
You’re in love with someone else, aren’t you?
But I missed you so much – oh how my tears burned.
Maybe yours burn for someone else too.
I was mocked and I felt the sting of shame.
I became the butt of disdain.
So don’t tell me later your love was the same.
When I fall for another again.
Translated into English by: John Farndon
Berkinalieva was born on August 10, 1974 in Ozgerush district of Sagyn, Talas region.
In 1996, she graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of KSU.
She graduated from Besh-Bulak secondary school in 1991 and entered the Faculty of Philology and Journalism of KSMU. In 1996, she graduated from higher education and began her career as a teacher at the Kyrgyz Medical Institute. In 2000, she worked as a teacher at KSMU, and at the same time studied at the graduate school of KSMU. During her student years, she led the literary circle “Young Wave” (formerly “Kyzyl Uzkun”). She played the role of the girl "Aike” in the drama "We Are a Woman” and was awarded the title of the best actress of the faculty. She started her creative career in 1992, following the genre of poetry. Sagyn Berkinalieva's books in the genre of poetry “Dust-covered page”, “A girl dancing in the sky” have been published. Member of the Union of Eurasian Writers, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Head of the Central Asia Section of the North American Writers Union. Member of the Society of Poets and Writers in Nigeria, coordinator for Kyrgyzstan. In 2019, he won the Grand Prix at the “Open Eurasia-2019” festival held in Belgium and received the “Lira” medal. In 2021, he won the Grand Prix at the “Anna Snitkina” Lyric Festival held in Canada. He received the Golden Parchment Award from Spain, the “Amber Nugget” Award from Russia - Canada, the Matsuo Base Award from Germany and many other countries.
Her poems have been translated into more than 30 languages and published in international newspapers and magazines, anthologies. Winner of the “Best Poet of the Year” nomination of Erkin Too and Jetigen magazines. Critic of Kyrgyz literature Askar Medetov, Kyrgyz folk writer Sultan Raev, Kyrgyz folk poet Karbalas Bakirov expressed good opinions about Sagyn Berkinalieva's poetry. More than ten songs have been composed. Sagyn Berkinalieva was recently admitted to the Moscow Union of Writers. Winner of the Goethe Prize of the Institute of Arts and Letters in Germany.