Martial Dances

We live in strange times, my brother 
men make money 
with war dances 
and occupation... 
Do you not see the bombardments 
and the pillaging? 
Under the boot 
you are worn out, 
these days 
the sweat of your brow 
no longer serves you! 
Tanks come from distant lands 
passing down your streets 
demanding to know 
why you were born! 
And you can say nothing. 
Soon, if this continues, 
it will be the course of progress 
to be denied learning. 
One speaks of the rights of man 
here and there. 
Do not believe those rumors! 
You see that nothing is in place now! 
We live in strange times my brother, 
arms dealing, 
construction 
governing the land. 
Is it so difficult to understand? 
They sell the merchandise of war! 
Come listen to my counsel. 
Don't marry, it is unsupportable 
to suffer the massacre of your children. 
The success of your affairs depends 
on producing fictitious enemies 
to menace... 
In this manner 
they take over small countries 
one after the other 
under the pretext of saving them. 
While you fight amongst yourselves 
others consume your underground resources. 
What should I tell you; 
do these times plant sorrow 
in your hearts? 
Be a little understanding! 
Increase the number of fratricidal wars, 
divide your people further 
to make the lives of the invaders easier. 
Do not forget that to destroy love 
requires only this: 
Live in a society without love 
and don't educate anyone... 
Live in the clarity of obscurity, 
depend only on yourself! 
The sun rises and sets on time... 
the throats of cocks are cut 
that sing before the hour! 
We live in strange times my brother, 
men make money with war dances 
and occupation... 
Do you not see the bombardments 
and the pillaging? 

By Uzeyir Lokman CAYCI 
Paris - 17.03.2003 
Traduit par by Yakup YURT en français 
French free verse translated into English free verse 
by Joneve McCormick - 2003

Copyright © | Year Posted 2006



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