Nina Živančević (Нина Живанчевић)

someone has tried to do me in

Someone was sad and really bad

Someone has tried to wash it off

Someone has tried to brush it down

Someone has tried to play the clown

Music was good and so we tuned in

And there you’ve gone snapping your fingers

Dialing numbers and howling at the moon

You said AMAN* and I said ZAMAN**

For the sake of Lord and to the end of time

My feet so light and thoughts so heavy

A hopeless night and shimmering sky

Cold thin air to the end of time

Tumultuous hooves and headless riders

If we move an eyelid will such RAHAT

And sheer light show the hour of SAHAT

OK, Bashi, let the girls weave the fabric

Of oblivion

You said AMAN and I said ZAMAN,

For the sake of Lord, and to the end of time

The symmetry of that cemetery

Has fed on so many dancers

The flightless eagles and sleepy lions

Have heard our song before it was recorded

Before we rehearsed and uttered these elegant notes

This sleepless presence this patient flutter

You said AMAN and I said ZAMAN

Aman, aman, to the end of time.

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*Aman- “until the end of” (in Persian)

**Zaman- “time” (in Pers.)