Skip to main content
Poets.org

mobileMenu

  • Poems
  • Poets
  • Poem-a-Day
  • National Poetry Month
  • Materials for Teachers
  • Literary Seminars
  • American Poets Magazine

Main navigation

  • Poets.org
  • Academy of American Poets
  • National Poetry Month
  • American Poets Magazine

User account menu

  • Log in
  • Membership
  • Donate
Donate
Poets.org

Poem-a-Day

The only daily poetry series publishing new work by today’s poets.

Page submenu block

  • find poems
  • find poets
  • poem-a-day
  • literary seminars
  • materials for teachers
  • poetry near you

Poem-a-day

The Little Boy

translated from the Western Armenian by the author

A neighbor’s son loudly asked,
“Is there a place on earth where it’s summer now?”
 
The question was a fair one; on this autumn morning,
it was windy and cold on the street.
 
But how does one answer that question
without giving a geography lesson?
 
Did the boy know that there are northern and southern hemispheres?
did he study the names of the continents,
did he know the locations of the poles,
the names of countries and capitals?
 
Sometimes a simple question
      needs a simple answer,
            other times, a lecture.
 

 


 

Փոքրիկ տղան

 

Հարեւանի մը փոքրիկ տղան բարձրաձայն հարցուց
«Աշխարհի մէջ տեղ մը կայ ուր հիմա ամառ է՞»։
 
Հարցումը տեղին էր. այս աշնան առաւօտ,
փողոցին վրայ, հովոտ ու ցուրտ էր ։
 
Բայս ինչպէ՞ս պատասխանել այդ հարցումին
առանց աշխարհագրութեան դաս մը տալու։
 
Տղան գիտէ՞ր որ կան հիւսիսային և հարաւային կիսագունտեր.
սորված է՞ր ցամաքամասերուն անունները,
 
գիտէ՞ր բեւեռներուն տեղերը,
երկիրներուն ու իրենց մայրաքաղաքներուն անուննե՞րը ։
 
Երբեմն պարզ հարցում մը
      պարզ պատասխանի մը պէտք ունի,
             երբեմն ալ դասընթացքի մը։

Copyright © 2026 by Lola Koundakjian. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on April 4, 2026, by the Academy of American Poets.

read the rest

Lola Koundakjian

Lola Koundakjian
Photo Credit: Ararat El-Rawi
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Tumblr
  • View print mode
  • Copy embed code
Add to anthology

Sign up for Poem-a-Day

* indicates required

About Poem-a-Day

Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 250 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year. Dorianne Laux is the Guest Editor for April. Read or listen to a Q&A with Laux about his curatorial process, and learn more about the 2026 Guest Editors. Support Poem-a-Day.  

If you have any questions about Poem-a-Day, visit our Poem-a-Day FAQ.

Previous Poems

Title Author Date
I Woke You with Wagner, Logan February 06/17/2025
Love Poem with Tumor and Petrified Dog Kaveh Akbar 06/16/2025
Reunion Tour Jericho Brown 06/15/2025
The Possessed John Berryman 06/14/2025
Immortality Wes Matthews 06/13/2025
No Isms Except Neologism Jen DeGregorio 06/12/2025
Critique of My Thighs Fatima Malik 06/11/2025
Livestreaming My Grandfather’s Funeral Stephanie Colwell 06/10/2025
on superstitions Mckendy Fils-Aimé 06/09/2025
Beyond a Mountain Witter Bynner 06/08/2025

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 29
  • Page 30
  • Page 31
  • Page 32
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

Newsletter Sign Up

Support Us

  • Become a Member
  • Donate Now
  • Get Involved
  • Make a Bequest
  • Advertise with Us

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • SoundCloud
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Footer

  • poets.org

    • Find Poems
    • Find Poets
    • Poetry Near You
    • Jobs for Poets
    • Literary Seminars
    • Privacy Policy
    • Press Center
    • Advertise
  • academy of american poets

    • About Us
    • Programs
    • Prizes
    • First Book Award
    • James Laughlin Award
    • Ambroggio Prize
    • Chancellors
    • Staff
  • national poetry month

    • Poetry & the Creative Mind
    • Dear Poet Project
    • Poster
    • Sponsorship
  • american poets

    • Books Noted
    • Essays
    • Advertise
© Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038
poets .org