P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Iraj Bashiri

306
Tajikistan's rustic scene forms the backdrop to Sobirov's early

works, which include "Mo Kudakon Budim" ("We Were Children,"
1984); "Kudakiam Hanuz Girion Ast" ("My Childhood Still Weeps,"
1984); "Kudaki Ku?" ("Where is Childhood?", 1984); and "Farzandi
Dihqon" ("The Farmer's Child," 1984) All these works hark to the poet's
formative years, while contributions like "Tojikzan va Pakhta" ("Tajik
Woman and Cotton," 1989) describe the sentiments of a more mature
and sophisticated poet.
Sobirov did not praise the Soviet system. In fact, he rose against
Communist aggression during the heyday of the Party and survived. He
confronted social issues frankly and pursued his goal of reforming soci-
ety with an unrelenting zeal. For instance, in "Sahna" ("The Stage,"
1984) he criticized all levels of Soviet society except the working
classes. With "Pas az Mo" ("After Us"), however, he crossed the line
and was subjected to vociferous criticism. He refused to conform. Con-
versely, in 1978, in an assembly at the Union of Writers of Tajikistan,
he criticized Soviet activities in Afghanistan. Since this behavior was
against the clear Soviet dicta that poets should praise the achievements
of the Soviet military, Sobirov's name was entered into the list of sub-
versives.
Sobirov's contributions in the 1980s concentrate on Soviet activities
in the republics of the former Soviet Union, especially Georgia, Uzbeki-
stan, and Tajikistan. Why shouldn't the Tajiks walk daily by the statue
of Ahmad Donish rather than the statue of Lenin? Or more poignantly,
why should the Tajik youth be exposed constantly to the thoughts of
Lenin and Marx rather than to the guidance of their own learned men?
But perhaps the most telling pieces among his later contributions are
"Zaboni Modari" ("Mother Tongue," 1984) and "Hoji Komunist" ("The
Communist Pilgrim"). In these pieces, he exposes the duplicity of those
who bear ill will against the Tajiks, as well as the apparatchiki who,
after the establishment of the Coalition Government in Dushanbe, made
the pilgrimage to Mecca to show their attachment to Islam.
In his verses, Sobirov allows the content to take precedence over the
form. His fame, however, is more due to his patriotism and stance
against Communist aggression than for either his poetic style or his in-
troduction of innovative methods into Tajik literature.
Sobirov's rustic background and youthful difficulties, as well as his
love for his mother and for his homeland, form the major foci of his

---