Introduction
This is a song that was suggested by many Iranians attending Confluence (including core members of Confluence) as well as Iranians who attended Refugee Voices Welcome in 2024 and participated in the performances of No Room at the Inn (2024 and 2025)
Its importance is expressed by Delaram who wrote the explanation below and Hossein whose summary description of the song is included in the score.
Please do listen to some of the original recordings as the score is a simplification of this song for Western participation and cannot capture the power of the original
This is a recording recommended by Hossein: تصنیف مرغ سحر – محمدرضا شجریان
Also please note that different versions approach the song differently – with some changes to notes.
Scores with romanized and translated lyrics
Comments from members of Confluence Collective
Morghe Sahar (The Bird of Dawn) is the heartbeat of Iranian resistance, a sacred pact between the poet’s pen and the people’s soul. Born in 1927 from the collaboration of master musician Morteza Neydavoud and the visionary poet Bahar, it emerged as a sonic fortress for a nation whose dreams of liberty were under siege.
The song is a visceral dialogue between a captive soul and the horizon. It urges a caged bird, a symbol of the intellectual conscience, to break the silence of a dark night.
The lyrics move from a lament over a scorched nest to a radical demand: “Cruel hunter, set my cage on fire.” This is the ultimate cry for transformation, suggesting that for the soul to be truly free, the very structures of oppression must be reduced to ash so a new world can rise.
It is famously the “second national anthem” of Iran, immortalised by the legendary Shajarian. In his concerts, it became a ritual where the boundary between performer and audience dissolved into a single, collective breath.
“Morghe Sahar” remains captivating because its “dawn” is never fully realized. It is a song of eternal longing. As long as there is a cage, whether it be political, spiritual, or self-imposed, the Bird of Dawn will continue to sing. It is the anthem of the resilient heart, proving that as long as the song exists, the night has not yet won.
-Delaram Izadi 2026
