In recent weeks it’s been steadily raining and I’ve spent more time indoors, studying in my library, re-reading and cataloguing resources, a necessary and enriching pastime. In one of the folios, I came across this beautiful poem by the Mongolian scholar-poet Zava Damdin (b.1976- ) .

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MIRROR OF THE HEART

(English translation)

Those special scenes that shine from time to time
from behind the mirror of the heart
Those times, now passed like a dream
An incomparable vivid memory
There, a now distant light illuminates the path
towards a decent future
Those wonderful life epics that creep into my thoughts
Those lived times that seem to grow out of the mind
An unpredictably free eloquence
Thresholds, like high-flying masts
All of a sudden, those nostalgic meadows come to mind
Those moments that flash,
like travelling through time at the speed of light
There is no one to witness those stories like legends
The Moon of great love and compassion reflected in the lake.
by
Zava Damdin

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An interpretation into the English language by Zava Damdin and C. Pleteshner from the original Mongolian 15.04.2023.

Refer to the INDEX for other poems and articles that may be of interest.

© 2013-2026. CP in Mongolia. “Mongolian Poetry 17: Mirror of the Heart” is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. Posted: 30 May 2025. Last updated: 4 August 2026.