An essay "My Abay"

     Abay Kunanbayev was a  poet and a great philosopher. Abai was born August 10, 1845 in Chingiz Mountains Semipalatinsk region. Abay's family was aristocratic, his grandfather Oskenbay and grand grandfather Yrgyzbay dominated in their tribes as governors and biys (judges).  Ibrahim was lucky in the family education, as his mother Ulzhan and grandmother Zere were extremely gifted and charming persons. Due to his attentiveness and thoughtfulness, which differentiated him from other children, his mother changed his name to the name "Abay". Abay studied at Russian school and by the end of the five-year study began to write poetry. Abay belonged to the elite of Kazakh society, but  he lived with what his people lived, shared with them their pain and deprivation. Joys were little, but how he could live and enjoy himself? 

      Abay absorbed much of that carried the eastern and Arab culture: the Quran, the tales of  thousand and one nights. He was familiar with the works of Ferdowsi, Nizami, Saadi and Navoi, studied the works of Aristotle, Socrates, Spinoza and Spencer. Poetry of Pushkin, Lermontov, Goethe, Byron and Schiller was extremely close to him.  He won extraordinary authority and popularity which were unknown in steppe before. He was surrounded by akyns, singers, composers and young talented people.  "Kara soz" (“Book of words”)  take a special place in the Abay's art. Under these name combined forty five "Words" - small, carefully crafted, artistic, stylistic completed fragments. The name “Book of words” or “Words of edification” of Abay, inaccurately transfers the meaning of the philosopher. Forty five “Words of edification” is the philosophical reflection of the poet about life problems and deeply sad “face to face” conversation with his audience. Addressing to them, the poet ask himself: maybe “Should I rule the people?”, or “Should I educate the children?”.  Finally, in this way Abay explains his decision to write down “own thoughts”: “Paper and ink from now on will be my consolation…Maybe someone will like some of my word and he will rewrite it for himself or just remember. If not, then my words, as it says, will stay with me [First word]. Many lines from the “Book of words” became immortal: “Man born crying and grieves when he leaves” [Fourth word]; “Man becomes intellectual, remembering the words of the wises” [Nineteenth word]; “He who seeks praise from loved ones, I am sure he will achieve it, praising and lifting up himself to heaven”[Twenty first word]; “Scientist and philosopher are the pride of humanity. They are those who have more senses and mind. We do not invent science, it appears as a result of our feelings, observation and thoughts about the creation around us and organized world for us” [Forty third word].

    Abay mentioned that the top creation of the creator is a man. However, does not the creator give him five senses, being confident in their necessities for man? Do you find that a man has random organs? For example, we have eyes to see. If they were not existed, could we enjoy the beauty of the world?  They open and close when it necessary from a wind and mote.  If ears were not existed, people would not be able to hear noise, rattling, would not be able to guard against rustling or cry and would not have enjoyed the sounds of songs or tunes. If a nose does not smell, people would not able stretch incense and turn away from stench. He would not care. Finally, if a person would not have palate and tongue, he would be able to recognize sweetness or bitterness of food. Is that all bad for human? Eyes and nose are located not far from mouth to man to see purity and could smell a food.  “Could it be possible to say that it’s all random manifestation of the mind of the creator?” [Word twenty seventh] If only in science everything was so clear, so that to know with confidence in which direction to go and what to do. When we are in trouble, we can always rely on a help of wise, we just need to turn to him: “Once power, mind and heart argued, who among them is necessary to person. After they found out that cannot reach the agreement, they turned to Science for help. As I said, get together let heart guide you! If this happens and all of you gather in one person, so he will become righteous.  Dust from the soles of his feet will heal the blinds. Harmony and purity of life is the main meaning of the great world. If you won’t be able to unite, then I will give preference to the heart – the king of human life, thus Science resolve the dispute” [Word seventeenth].  “Words of edification” is like conclusion and result of life. “Lived I good life up until now, but when we can already see the end of the path, when the soul exhausted and tired. I am convinced that my good intentions being ineffective in the vanity and frailty of human life. “I am truly dead, despite that I am exist. I cannot understand the reason: whether weak disappointment to relatives, whether in the rejection of himself or something else. In appearance I am quite healthy, as dead inside. Even if laugh I do not feel joy. No matter what I tell you, if I laugh - all this as not mine, but someone else”. “I do not understand how do I treat my nation: do I dislike or love them? – If I loved them, without any doubt I would agree its morals and among other characters found out even one to be proud of. My love would not allow the faith to go out, as if my people have such qualities inherent of great people. However, I do not have that faith”, – draws a line Abay. Nine years passed before Abay wrote forty-five “Words-talks”, and expressed in them innermost thoughts, aspirations, mournful complaints indifferent to the poet’s voice contemporaries. 

  “Life is lived – I argued, fought, judged, having only troubles and exhausted on them, tired and convinced in aimlessness of everything done”. I shouted from the cliff. Space answered me. But when he heard the sound I was looking around: How, where this sound come from? Was the same rock or different, There is response, but the response is empty. I have a great, Wide kin, No reason to be alone, Great family, but I was not understood And I live alone among, As the tomb of the shaman, I am alone - that's my truth! A careful and thoughtful reading and studying of “Words” will be a tribute to the great and wise Abay, whom can be referred lines, once written by him:  Can be called the one, Who gave to the world immortal words. Abay Kunanbayev is the great poet, writer, public figure, founder of modern Kazakh literature.

                          Was written by the pupil of 8 “A” form Amina Azamatova