Poem for a President
A couple of weeks ago, opposition MP Tursunbai Bakir uluu wrote an open letter to Almas Atambayev, victor of Kyrgyzstan’s recent presidential race. Today Atambayev was inaugurated, becoming Kyrgyzstan’s fourth head of state in twenty years, and the first to whom power was handed over voluntarily. While the vote was accepted as relatively free and fair by international organizations, Atambayev’s opponents (of whom Bakir uluu was one) complained loudly of foul play. In an obtuse, lyrical correspondance, Bakir uluu reminded Atambayev that many knights who slay dragons actually become dragons themselves when they are unable to resist the gold in the dragon’s cave (smell a metaphor?) adding that he hoped this didn’t happen to Atambayev.
Today, to show appreciation for this zany lawmaker’s love of fairy tales, and also to offer my best wishes to President 4.0, a short poem:
Almas, Almas, in power at last!
The vote was rigged, the dye was cast,
The shyrdak came out royal blue,
Your rivals said it wasn’t true,
But who are they, and who are you?
Not for them the robes of state,
And while Tashiev’s brothers eight,
Will whine about you in his ear,
You’ll serve your own kin well (I fear),
But maybe that’s a smear.
And Madumarov’s mad you know,
We’re glad you saved us from his throes,
To ballot-stuff – not such a crime,
Compared to murder and rapine,
It’s rather fine – the throne is thine!
But lo, behold the troubled realm!
And now it has you at its helm,
I wish you strength to smite your foes,
They’re not so patient – you should know,
They rally, roar and overthrow
Then perilous, this neighbourhood!
That Karimov is not so good,
And Russia’s touch – too much like glue,
While China wants to swallow you,
Or so says all the news….
Yet these are pains for other days,
When bells will toll and troubles weigh,
When second wives will make demands,
And younger sons will tie your hands,
For now you are the man – the man!
Bakir uluu’s rambles in full: http://eng.24.kg/politic/2011/11/15/21515.html?print=yes