21 February 2012

THE DEATH OF STEVE BIKO

THE DEATH OF STEVE BIKO  
© Farouk Asvat  

This yearning for life
Is like death, my love:
The death of Steve
Who brought a shift in our consciousness
Whose hovering face
Still haunts our waking memories.

     But your death is the last anger.
     We'll stand no more like Christ
     Our backs to the wall
     Crucified by a bullet
     Through the head.

     We'll speak in silence
     Slither in subterranean streams
     Announce ourselves unannounced
     In whispers that explode
     Into silence

© farouk asvat

composed: 1985 [johannesburg, south africa under #apartheid ]

STEVE BIKO was brutally assassinated in prison by the South African #apartheid regime
on 12 September 1997.

Have you read: ''I Write What I Like'' by Steve Biko
Have you heard: ''Biko'' by Peter Gabriel
Also check: ''They Say Steve Biko Is Dead'' by Farouk Asvat

[] acknowledgements:
The Death Of Steve Biko was previously published in:
A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p11, 1987);
Dokumente Texte Und Tendenzen VIII (evangelische akademie, germany, p106, 1987);
A Celebration Of Flames (Heller Fund, university of california, berkeley, usa, p20, 1988);
Matatu (göttingen, germany, # 3/4, p189, 1988);
Perspectives 5: South Africa (ernst klett verlag, stuttgart, germany, p31, 1988),
     ed. kurt sontheim [& teacher's text + cassette recording # 8];
Saasm News (saasm, boston, usa, vol 1 (2), p15, 1988);
De Dood Van Steve: Dutch translation by Irene Scheltes, (1989);
A Morte de Steve Biko: Portuguese translation by Josefa Salmón:
     + interview with farouk asvat by Josefa Salmon,
     (Cadernos Do Terceiro Mundo (manaus, brazil, # 135, p37, 1990):
African Literature In The Eighties (matatu 10), ed d riemenschneider, f schulze-engler,
     (rodopi, amsterdam, netherlands & atlanta, 1993);
La Mort de Steve Biko: (Notre Librairie, ed. denise coussy, clef, paris, france, # 122, p142, apr-jun 1995),
     French translation by Pauline Baggio;
A Morte De Steve Biko: Portuguese translation by Josefa Salmón;
     (YouTube: musical rendition by Anibal Werneck,: 2000);
La Mort de Steve Biko: French translation by Pauline Baggio: (1995);
     (The AnthroGlobe Journal, esthétique poétique et poétisation(s) de l’histoire, urbain amoa,

     (ecole normale supérieure- abidjan, posted: 3 december 2005,

     (conférence prononcée à l’université de wits, johannesburg, 3 september 1998),

Steve Biko ’nun Ölümü: Turkish translation by İlyas Tunç:

     (Çağdaş Güney Afrïka Şïrï Antolojïsï: contemporary south african poetry anthology:

     (bencekitap publishing, istanbul, p234, 2013);

Ο Θανατοσ Του Στηβ Μπικο: Greek translation by Paulos Ioannou

     (bilingual edition to be published in kindle & amazon paperback);

A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p25, 2007).

https://faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com/2012/02/death-of-steve-biko.html (21.02.2012); *

A Celebration Of Flames (kindle, 2014);

A Celebration Of Flames (amazon paperback, p?, 2014). 

___________________________________________________________________________     

¨ AUDIO 

German Studio recording:

     farouk asvat reciting:

     • Possibilities For A Man Hunted By SBs

     • The Death Of Steve Biko

     • Massacre At Sharpeville

(Perspectives 5: South Africa, ed Kurt Sontheim, teacher's text + cassette recording # 8,

    Ernst Klett Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 1988).

___________________________________________________________________________    

¨ AUDIO-VISUAL MUSICAL RECORDING  

A Morte De Steve Biko (a****** ******* & farouk asvat)

___________________________________________________________________________    

[§] Books by Farouk Asvat:


Sadness In The House Of Love (novel)

The Gathering Of The Storm (novel)

I Dream In Long Sentences (poetry)

The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (poetry)

A Celebration Of Flames (poetry)

The Time Of Our Lives (poetry)

This Masquerade (short stories)

Bra Frooks … (poetry)*

The Paanies Are Coming (short stories)*

In The House Of Love (novel)*

Weapons Of Words (comparative literature & literary criticism)


¨ all my books are now available on amazon: in paperback & kindle

@ https://www.amazon.com/author/faroukasvat

___________________________________________________________________________    

 A CELEBRATION OF FLAMES by FAROUK ASVAT

§ WINNER OF THE VITA AWARD §


""A Celebration of Flames" is a powerful, impassioned call. The sanity and courage of this collection arises from the poet's unique experiential perceptions of his milieu, making him one of the few who can write about these traumatic times with such lucidity and lyricism. The strength of Farouk Asvat's poetry lies in the way he intertwines the complex elements of social and political conflicts with intense personal relationships. The wide tonal range extends from sensual and delicate insights into the nature of passion to the satiric and humorous use of slang."

Vita Award citation


"Like hesitating snowflakes ... his words are fascinating in their capricious wilfulness ... like unexpected strokes of a whip."

Susanne Baackmann, University Of Albuquerque, USA


"His love poetry soars with an intense sensitivity, it celebrates lyrically the joys of a most exquisite sensuousness."

● Marcia Leveson, University Of The Witwatersrand, The Indicator


""A Celebration of Flames" (is) a powerful, impassioned call.  I admire the sanity and courage of this.  Your position and perception make you one of the few who can write on this subject without obscenity."

● Lionel Abrahams, editor Purple Renoster & Sesame


"The legend of poet extraordinaire Farouk Asvat: ... like vintage wine, proper poetry matures with time, and like vintage art the voice and wisdom of a poet worth the name is timeless."

● Mphutlane wa Bofelo, kagablog


"... you almost catch your breath at some of the stanzas ... you can re-read it several times and be struck by new ideas, metaphors, elegiac surprises, and the heartfelt poignancy ..."

● Aggrey Klaaste, editor Sowetan


"Out of an angry silence, a polished poet is born."

● Anton Harber, editor Weekly Mail

___________________________________________________________________________     

LA MORT DE STEVE BIKO  

     French translation by © Pauline Baggio

 

Cette soif de vie

ressemble à la mort, mon Amour:

la Mort de Steve

qui a fait changer notre conscience

Dont le visage

Hante encore nos mémoires vivantes

 

     Mais la mort et la dernière colère

     Nous ne nous tiendrons plus comme le Christ

     Le dos au mur

     Crucifié par une balle

     Qui nous traverse

 

     Nous parlerons en silence

     Glisserons dans les ruisseaux souterrains

     Annoncerons notre venue à l’improviste

     Par des murmures explosant

     De silence

 

     French translation by © Pauline Baggio

___________________________________________________________________________     

DE DOOD VAN STEVE BIKO 

     Dutch tanslation by © Irene Scheltes


Dit smachten naar leven

Is als de dood, mijn lief:

De dood van Steve

Die ons bewustzijn verandere

Wiens zwevende gezicht

Voortleeft in onze herinnering.


     Maar jouw dood is de ultieme woede.

     Wij staan niet langer als Christus

     Onze rug tegen de muur

     Gekruisigd door een kogel

     Door het hoofd.


     Wij zullen zwigend spreken

     In ondergrondse stromen slippen

     Ons aandienen onaangediend

     In gefluister dat uiteenspat

     In stilte


     Dutch tanslation by kind permission of © Irene Scheltes

___________________________________________________________________________     

STEVE BIKO’NUN ÖLÜMÜ  

     Turkish translation by © İlyas Tunç


Yaşam arzusu

Ölüm gibidir, sevgilim:

Bilincimizde bir değişim yaratan

Etrafımızda dolanan görüntüsüyle

Hala tetikteki anılarımızı yoklayan

Steve’in ölümü gibi.


     Ama senin ölümün son öfkedir.

     İsa gibi katlanmayacağız artık

     Sırtlarımız duvarda

     Kafalarımızı delip geçen

     Bir kurşunla öldürülmüş biçimde.


      Konuşacağız suskunluk içinde

     Düşe kalka yürüyeceğiz yer altı sularında

     Duyuracağız kendimizi kimseye sormadan

     Sessizlikte patlayan

     Fısıltılarla.


     Turkish translation by kind permission of © İlyas Tunç

___________________________________________________________________________     

A MORTE DE STEVE BIKO  

     Portuguese translation by © Josefa Salmón


Esta ânsia de viver

É como a morte, meu amor:

A morte de Steve Biko

Que alterou nossa consciência.

E cujo rosto verdadeiro

Ainda vive em nossa recente memória.


     Mas a tua morte é a tua última revolta.

     Não ficaremos mais como Cristo

     Acuados de encontro ao muro

     Crucificado por uma

     Bala na cabeça.


     Falaremos em silêncio

     Conduzidos por rios subterrâneos

     Far-nos-emos ouvir sem sermos anunciados

     Em murmúrios que explode

     Em silêncio


     Portuguese translation by © Josefa Salmón

___________________________________________________________________________     

Ο ΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΣΤΗΒ ΜΠΙΚΟ  

     Greek translation by © Paulos Ioannou


Αυτή η λαχτάρα για ζωή 

Είναι σαν τον θάνατο, αγάπη μου:

Ο θάνατος του Στηβ

Που έφερε μετάθεση στη συνείδησή μας 

Του οποίου το υπερίπτατο πρόσωπο 

Εξακολουθεί να στοιχειώνει τις ξύπνιες αναμνήσεις μας.

 

     Αλλά ο θάνατός σου είναι ο τελευταίος θυμός. 

     Δεν θα σταθούμε πια σαν τον Χριστό 

     Με την πλάτη μας στον τοίχο

     Σταυρωμένοι από σφαίρα 

     Θα μιλήσουμε σιωπηλά  

 

Θα γλιστρήσουμε σε υπόγεια ρεύματα 

Θα αναγγείλουμε τον εαυτό

μας απροειδοποίητα 

Με ψίθυρους που εκρήγνυνται

Στη σιωπή


     Greek translation by © Paulos Ioannou

___________________________________________________________________________     

© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,

without the prior permission of the author in writing.

Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.

Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly & nonprofit purposes,

is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.


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the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat

is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $15 & kindle @ only $5

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics

#faroukasvat #weapons #of #words #comparative #literature #literary #criticism

#a #celebration #of #flames#the #death #of #steve #biko #stevebiko


● poems @ https://faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com

● linkedin @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/farouk-asvat-52a6b642

● sa history @ https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/mohamed-farouk-asvat

● wikipedia @ https://en.everybodywiki.com/Farouk_Asvat

● youtube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDlracNOh9E/faroukasvat

● all my books @ https://www.amazon.com/author/faroukasvat

 

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