Baku’s poets

23 September 201

Most Central Asian town's have now replaced their statues of Soviet leaders with similar sized monuments to less domineering figures.

These are usually revered poets and artists sculptured to show a pondering, thoughtful stance. In one square, this interesting bronze bust of Aliaga Vahid ( 1894 - 1965) known for his satyric poetry, watches local boys playing football. The scenes carved into the poet's hair symbolise the balance between optimism and realism, and humour and tragedy for which the poet has become  to be valued. Many of these great poets and writers had travelled to university in Moscow and St Petersburg, and looked out upon European influences. They appear to have brought a new sense, paradoxically, of nationhood, to reinforce the culture and the language of their motherland. Perhaps this swing towards creativity and culture is a reaction to political situations lived through by many citizens over the last decades, even centuries. Certainly, the arts seem to be alive and well in Baku. Sitting in a park over looked by one of these great poets certainly creates a different feel to those surrounding the figures of Stalin, Lenin or a current national president.