2 BILINGUAL SONNETS

OTODEFANS

Parski nou for nou fer fezer.
Nou fer fezer parski nou’ena
Zarm atomik, zarm jabolik.
Nou lafors fer nou satanik;
Bondie Paysa donn nou tou drwa
Sem laterer dan tou leker.
Letansa, pov-pov bachara,
Nou’nn bliye net ki ti kouto
Kapav koup enn gro ziromon.
Bann kreatir ki viv dan bwa,
Zot ‘si zot ena zot marto
Pou kraz latet nouvo demon.
Zis ar enn ti viris mortel,
Zot fer Goliat desann bretel.

SELFDEFENCE (a loose translation)

Because we are strong, we are proud.
We are proud because we have weapons
Of mass destruction and annihilation.
Strength makes us diabolical;
Mammon gives us every right
To fill hearts and minds with fear.
Yet, fools that we are,
We’ve forgotten that a small knife
Can tear a huge pumpkin to bits.
Small insignificant creatures
Have their own weapons
To smash the heads of tyrants.
A small deadly virus
Has brought Goliath to his knees.

KIFER EKRIR?

Bann imen ansien, lor parwa lakav,
Ti servi desen ek detrwa kouler
Pou fer nou rapel zot ti ekziste.
Pa pou lot rezon mwa mo grifone
Detrwa tiparol san gran epeser
Pou dir mo ti la. Kapav, pa kapav?
Me kikfwa personn pa anvi kone!
Kikfwa personn pa pou enterese!
Tou gran predater, enn zour disparet.
Kouma dinozor, imen pou fini.
Robo programe pa enterese
Ar ritm ek ar rim ki kontan sante;
Ar nou santiman, zot fer satini.
Mo sir zot pou dir bann imen tro bet.

WHY WRITE? (loose translation)

Early humans on cave walls
Used drawings and some colours
To remind us that they were here.
For the same reason I scribble
Some words without pretension
To say I was here. Maybe vain efforts.
Probably no one wants to know!
Probably just a waste.
All great predators will one day disappear.
Like dinosaurs, humans will go.
Programmed robots do not care
For singing rhythm and rhyme;
With our feelings they’ll make mash
And argue that humans are too stupid.

 

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