Yugen Blakrok

ксоза

Yugen Blakrok

английский

AMANZI

Isixekwana siyakhala, ngamaxesha endlala
Nangona likude, ilanga lihlab’ umhlaba
Sitsha, sirhawuka, sifela ngaphakathi
Mazwi angamalangatye ebalisa iimbali
Zesizwe sakudala, esatshona phantsi kolwandle
Kwasindwa amaphaphu kwaphel’ umoya wangaphandle

Sitsarhwa yityiwa sirhaxwa ngamanzi
Kungekho zithixo zisikhawulela ngezantsi

Salala sombathe loomaphupho wethu
Sirhon’ iimpumlo ziphuphum’ ugwebu
Okwenkomo yamanzi, siphum’ ezinzulwini sinxil’ uvuyo nothando
Milomo ivaleke vingci, ingathethi mahlazo

Sitsarhwa nje yityiwa
Siphuma kwiziziba
Xa sibuyel’ emanzini
Akukho ntetho yanimba

Ezinzulwini zamaphupha alahlekayo
Imfazwe phakathi kwengqondo nomphefumlo yetshabalalisayo
Andinabuhlobo mna nendzondo
Ngalomoya akuzange kwakhiwa
Ngceba zawo zihlaba nditsho neenyawo zentsimbi
Zehlisa zithoba nonesona isibindi
Nozithembe ngamandla ezandla,
phantsi khilikiqi

Ayatsarha amanzi
Nalomphefumlo ndiwuphathisiweyo inga angazazi
Masilile iinyembezi zetyiwa namanzi
Mhlawumbi nalomhlaba udiniwe kukurhaxwa ligazi

© Yugen Blakrok
Аудиопроизводство: Haus für Poesie, 2019

Water

The little village cries in times of famine

And even though the sun seems far away, it pierces the earth

We scorch and burn, dying inside

Flaming voices retelling stories

Of an old nation that sunk under the sea

When lungs got heavy and the air from the outside escaped 


Choking on salt

Drowning in the water

There were no gods coming up

To greet us from the bottom


We slept, blanketed by our dreams

Snoring as though foam cane bubbling out our nostrils

Like the sea cow, coming out of the deep, drunk on joy and love

Mouths closed shut, to speak not in shame


Choking on salt

Coming out the deep

When we return to the water

It speaks not of compassion 


In the center of lost dreams 

The war between mind and body is one that destroys 

I nurse no affinity for hate

For that is a spirit with which one can build nothing 

Its shards pierce through iron feet

And humble the most courageous 

Even those who pride themselves on physical strength, find themselves on the ground


Water drowns

May the spirit that I have been granted come to know itself

May we cry tears of salt and water

Perhaps the earth is tired of being drowned in blood

Translated by Yugen Blakrok