carbon gas dwells
just a few notes above
the golden tears and the village
dazed by music tequila marijuana
I remember the first time I heard his music
that summer when I was very fat
very in love
with a German young man visiting with my cousin
I was one step away from a break up and from Denmark
where I gained ever more weight
but I kept listening to his music
I met prostitutes and a pastor who carried
hot soup tea coffee and they were always waiting for him
some less sober than others
some with their dogs
– homeless Danes often came along with homeless pets –
if you feel you are getting stiff-necked
don’t bother to ask anything
manu chao the Danish prostitutes
fate walking around with weed in its lungs
have almost everything in common
almost everything
in a single strumming on cords
stretched in the direction peru – paris
crossing my own path
Denmark – back home – America – Bucharest
para nosostros la dignidad insurrecta.
para nosotros il futuro negado.
para nosotros nada
(translation from the book Sister of war, published in Romania, 2012)
***
I’ll be in a poetry slam for the first time.
Where? The Bridge Inn, CW3 0DX Audlem.
When? Thursday May 24th, 7 pm.
Free entry.
I will not be reading the above poem, but I might try the stage with one other translation. Possibly, I will end up deciding on the day, while slowly, but firmly pacing our lounge up and down and rehearsing my reading.
This happens after I performed as the featured poet at last week’s Orators & Their Opinions, organised by Matt Humphries, at The Fountain Inn in Walsall. It was another first time for me in the UK.
Hope to see you there!