Chris Khatschadourian smoking an Oliva V Melanio Figurado cigar at Fidel Cigars.

Have a Cigar: Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado

Name: Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado

Country: Nicaragua

Size: (6 1/2 inches x 52)

Strength: Medium to Full

A bearded man with an aquiline nose,
with blue eyes turned grey from the cold,
sinks in a leather armchair after a long day.

He exhales the world slowly
and inhales solitude.
At last! he finds himself in a lounge
where thoughts don’t leak from mouths,
where ideas don’t turn to noise.

He calls the waiter and says,
“Please bring me an Islay whisky.
I would like to taste earth and fire.”

As he waits for his drink,
he pulls out a cigar
from the inside pocket of his jacket
and smells it.
Then he cuts it, licks it, lights it,
and leans back in his chair.

The whisky comes.
The smoke rises.

The man enters his cave.

*****
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“The New Year” by Misak Metsarents

Misak Metsarents (1886-1908) was a Western Armenian neo-romantic poet. This is my translation of “The New Year” from Armenian to English.

The New Year

Tonight, the well-dressed and adorned new year
Waits for the morning light with great zeal;
Spirits forever stole the year
From our embrace the familiar voices of the old one.

The new year’s gift, the bright moonlight
Is draped on all the mountains of the village;
The songs of the old, the cries of the young
echo erratically with strong, discernible timbres.

A series of desires gripping the heart
Shake it fiercely with fiery emotions;
Ignited by these unquenchable emotions,
The burning hearts pound with longing.

In the silence of the night’s final moments
The sounds and illuminations slowly fade;
And wearing the fine linen made of the blue arch
The well-dressed new year enters the decorated world.

Smoking an Avo Heritage Robusto in Lebanon

Have a Cigar: Avo Heritage Robusto

Name: Avo Heritage Robusto

Country: Dominican Republic

Shape: Parejo

Size: Robusto (4 7/8 inches x 50)

Strength: Medium to Full

Finally, after a long day, a short break.

I need an earthquake
to shake me out of work
this evening.

What a day.

I’m glad I managed to escape
the world
to come here and hide
on the roof of a six-story building.

All I want to do is burn a cigar,
watch the smoke rise,
and listen to the fire crawl.

I’ve got nothing to say
other than I’ve got nowhere to be,
no one to see.

I’m here alone
to be alone.

Finally, after a long day, a short break.