The Background Of Dignity Poem by Janri Gogeshvili

An obedient man leads an obedient life,
His ideals are perfect and high,
His pain is killed by the pain…
Long ago the madness of nerves,
The sharp pain, sorrow and torture
Amused him, again and again…

He trusted the man
Who told him once,
That the toothache was worse
Than the hunger for drugs…
But now, fluffy-bearded,
In a monk’s dress,
At the monastery
To God he prays.

He is lead by his spiritual father,
Now he is devoted to Lord,
He prays much, gets little sleep,
And reads the Word of God.

He wakes before dawn,
And ringing the bells
To the monastery space
“A tale he tells.”
And half-asleep,
Startled by doubt,
With the heel of his boot
He scratches the ground.

He adored heroin and morphine,
Was tortured by the lust for drugs,
The beast growled in his soul…
But all that remained in the past.
Today his dignity is valued,
Today he works day and night,
He willingly serves other brothers,
Today he’s worthy and upright.

Training is followed by will,
Flesh is defeated at last!
The fiend can’t harm him any longer,
All that remained in the past.

7.O7.2OO1.

Translated from Georgian