A correspondent from Turmush met with Murazbek Kerimov, a poet from the village of Jerge-Tal, whose life remarkably intertwines poetry and the labor of farmers.
Murazbek was born in 1970 in the village of Cholok-Kaiyn, where he completed his secondary education. To date, he is the author of two poetry collections: "Echo of the Soul" ("Jan düynö zhanırygy") and "White Light in the Distance" ("Alıstagy ak zharık"). His wife is a teacher at the Itikula Moldobaev Secondary School in Jerge-Tal, and the poet has four children: one son and three daughters.
According to Kerimov, poetry is a sacred space. He shares: "When I manage to capture the beauty of nature in verses or inspiration strikes, it brings a pleasure that cannot be expressed in words."
The creative path of Murazbek began during his school years when he wrote for wall newspapers. In his youth, he passionately read fiction. He states that inspiration accompanies him in any life circumstances.
Many of his poems were written at the request of friends or as part of the tasks of the literary and artistic association "Poetry Ordusu," of which he is a member. "Every day in our association, new themes are provided, and everyone tries to express their creativity. Much of what I know, I owe to my mentor Klara Niyazova from the Writers' Union of the Kyrgyz Republic," notes the poet.
The themes of his work are mainly focused on the beauty of his native land, although he also writes love poems, philosophical reflections, and moral teachings.
Last year, Murazbek decided to try his hand at prose. "Let the readers judge how well my stories meet artistic requirements. In the next collection, I plan to publish stories and 'akıinek' (humorous exchanges in verse). My wife, a primary school teacher, and other people have asked me to write many 'akıinek,' and I have already accumulated enough for a whole book," said Kerimov.
He approaches his work with self-irony: "I do not consider everything I have written to be great. There are poems I like and those I don't. But if at least one out of ten poems makes someone think, then I am not in vain contributing to literature," added the poet.
Murazbek notes that authors from remote areas find it very difficult to publish their books. "Currently, selling books is a challenging task, especially if you are known only in your village. Nevertheless, my fellow villagers support me and buy books directly from me. My neighbors and fellow villagers helped me publish my first book, becoming my sponsors, and my son financed my second book," he says.
Despite the simple life in the village, Murazbek Kerimov has received recognition at a high level:
- A commemorative medal from the "Alykul Osmonov" foundation (on the 110th anniversary of the great poet);
- The "Altyn Kalem" ("Golden Pen") award from the "Poetry Ordusu" association (2023);
- The title of "Best Writer" from the Writers' Union of Central Asia "Turan Birimdigy" (2024).
Life in the village has its peculiarities. Murazbek is actively engaged not only in creativity: he raises a small number of livestock, works in blacksmithing, does welding work at construction sites, and runs a home workshop for tire repair.
"We strive to try ourselves in different fields. If there are orders, I do everything: doors, gates, hand carts, and trailers. Although our village has a small population, and sometimes there is less work than free time, we do not remain idle," shares Murazbek.
The poet recalls an incident from his school years: "Once my Kyrgyz language teacher gave me a three. My classmate Almabek, an excellent student, was outraged: 'If Murazbek gets a three, then give all of us twos.' Thanks to his support, my grade was improved to a 'four'," he says.
In 1991, Murazbek witnessed a meeting with the outstanding poet Baidilda Sarnogayev in Bishkek, near the Osh market. Sarnogayev, surrounded by a crowd, was composing witty quatrains on the go. "There was a man from Jumgal nearby, who was said to be someone Baidilda even feared in poetic competitions. Sarnogayev jokingly teased him, saying that this man lived next to Midin Alybaev and supposedly surpassed his talent. To this, he replied with verses: 'Bite your tongue, do not tarnish Midin, or I will quickly shake your arrogance out of you.' Baidilda just laughed and said he had long wanted to introduce this gem to the editorial office, but he refused. That was quite an amazing meeting," shares Murazbek Kerimov.
OH, LIVING BEINGS!
Oh, living beings! Take care of each other,
Oh, living beings! Do not sell each other!
Regretting not to be left behind,
Value your loved ones in this world!
Oh, living beings! Remember not to forget,
The day will come when you will depart from this light.
Parents cannot be made happy at that time,
If you cover their coffin with gold.
You cannot warm their hearts with laughter,
If you bring the Sun to their tomb.
The prayer of the living will be,
The only message that will reach the earth.
__________
They lived for their children, you should know,
Being a child is both joy and sorrow.
The love you dedicated to your own child,
They gave to you without any lack.
They looked after you so that you would not be lacking,
How many boots their feet have torn.
They thought for you to study,
Not realizing that you would be without a cloak.
Those who raised their sons and daughters,
May they never be sad at any time.
While you have your parents' eyes, hold on,
That blessing will be the reason for your flight!
THOUGHTS AFTER VISITING THE IN-LAWS
I went to the in-laws,
Brought back some meat!
By the time I got back, it had spoiled,
I brought it back in the trash!
__________
Ten times they fed me,
Ten homes welcomed me.
They slaughtered a goat, slaughtered a ram,
They showed their wealth.
__________
From the house of my in-laws,
They shook hands five times.
My in-laws' greatness,
Was also evident here.
__________
There was no meat in the pot,
The slaughter was a surprise.
It was a horse like a mountain,
Its belly was barely full.
__________
After such a feast,
All sorts of gossip arise.
The waste of the feast,
Will be taken to the trash.
__________
The meat that was thrown away,
Is it not waste!
It exceeded a million,
When measured in soms!
__________
We boast a little,
We say we slaughtered livestock.
No one has reached it yet,
We say we set a record!
__________
If we waste a little less,
What would be the harm!
Four-fifths of the expenses,
What if we give to the children!
__________
As the era develops,
Knowledge stands tall.
But we are throwing a feast,
Like in the nineteenth century.
__________
Without reducing our expenses,
We are increasing them.
For twenty people,
We will slaughter twenty livestock!
__________
When I call my in-laws,
What will I do now?
I cannot imagine,
How to feed them ten times!
