From the recording Somewhere to Begin
Inspired by the poem “Address” (see notes on previous track) by Hamid Qaladzaye.
A year later, a video featuring this song and Hamid's poem was produced by Iranian film director Rahimi Zabihi and presented to the city of Halabja on the anniversary of the chemical attack (March 16). To watch: https://youtu.be/V8AuqDqYAU8
Lyrics
Butterflies falling all around
Flying birds drop dead to the ground
The breeze hears the sound
And the breeze whispers word to the wind
And the wind calls out to the storm
And the wind and the storm and the breeze
Run over the hills, rush through the trees
Run ‘til they fall on their knees
And find you
Halabja! Halabja! Halabja! Halabja!
The storm chokes on his breath
Falls lifeless and limp like the rest
The breeze with a tear in her eye
Drops dead on the sparrow
Dead as the butterfly
And the wind stands alone
Oh, the wind
The wind cries:
Halabja! Halabja! Halabja! Halabja!
All is stone silent for miles
The wind weeps by the mother and child
Curls close to the families in piles
And the wind dies
It was the day
The wind died, blew no more
Even the wind, even the wind died at your door
Halabja! Halabja! Halabja! Halabja!
© 2013 Sara Thomsen