03 April 2012

SADNESS

SADNESS  
© Farouk Asvat  

Swearing false oaths
Is a new truth with us.
How else
Does my sadness meet yours,
Eyes that could kill
Even the happiness
That comes to roost in my chest.

But your life is with others.
With others you are sad.
We of this hour steal what we can:
My face on the precipice of tears
Your warm breasts
On my quivering lips
Your sorrowful eyes
Full of compassion
And the infinite sadness
That comes into our hearts.
And still you go away
Ever further
As I grow nearer to you

Why do you not come again
Tumescent
Emptying my sorrows
So I could fill your hours with laughter
Oh to hear you laugh,
Laugh again, even once, my love
So that I will be happy
And you could return to your sad eyes

© farouk asvat

composed: 1985 [johannesburg, south africa under #apartheid ]
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[§] 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 (literary criticism)

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

     Dutch translation by © Irene Scheltes  

Valse eden afleggen
Is een nieuwe waarheid bij ons
Hoe anders
Kan mijn droefheid de jouwe ontmoeten,
Ogen die zelfs
Het geluk kunnen doden
Dat op stok gaat in mijn borst.

Maar jij deelt je leven met anderen.
Bij anderen ben je bedroefd.
Wij plukken dit uur zoveel we kunnen;
Mijn gezicht aan de afgrond van trannen
Jouw warme borsten
Aan mijn trillende lippen
Jouw verdrietige ogen
Vol mededogen
En de grenzeloze droefheid
Die in onze harten komt.
En nog altijd ga je weg
Verderweg zelfs
Naarmaate ik dichter bij je kom.

Waarom kom je niet weer
Uitdijend
Om mijn smart te lenigen
Dan kon ik jouw uren vullen met vreugde
O, jou te horen lachen
Lach weer, één keer desnoods, mijn lief
Zodat ik gelukkig zal wezen
En jij terug zou kunnen keren naar je droeve ogen

     Dutch translation by kind permission of © Irene Scheltes
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ΘΛΙΨΗ  

     Greek translation by © Paulos Ioannou 

Η ορκωμοσία ψευδών όρκων
είναι μια νέα αλήθεια μαζί μας.
Πως αλλιώς
Μπορεί η λύπη μου να συναντήσει τη δική σου,
Μάτια που θα μπορούσαν να σκοτώσουν
Ακόμα και την ευτυχία
Που κουρνιάζει στο στήθος μου.

Αλλά η ζωή σου είναι με άλλους.
Με τους άλλους είσαι λυπημένη.
Εμείς αυτή την ώρα κλέβουμε ότι μπορούμε:
Το πρόσωπό μου στον γκρεμό των δακρύων
Το ζεστό σου στήθος
Στα τρεμουλιασμένα μου χείλη
Τα λυπημένα σου μάτια
Γεμάτα συμπόνια
Και την απέραντη θλίψη
Που  γεννιέται στην καρδιά μας.
Κι ακόμα απομακρύνεσαι
 Όλο και πιο μακριά
Ενώ αισθάνομαι πιο κοντά σου

Γιατί δεν ξανάρχεσαι
Διεγερμένη
Να αδειάσω τις λύπες μου
Έτσι για να  μπορούσα να γεμίσω τις ώρες σου με γέλιο,
Ω να σε ακούσω να γελάς,
Γέλα ξανά, έστω και μια φορά, αγάπη μου
Για να είμαι ευτυχισμένος
Και μετά θα μπορούσες να επιστρέψεις στα θλιμμένα μάτια σου

     Greek translation by kind permission of © Paulos Ioannou 
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[] acknowledgements:
Sadness was previously published in:
A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p45, 1987);
A Celebration of Flames (heller fund, uc berkeley, california, usa, p37, 1988);
Droefheid (Dutch translation by Irene Scheltes, 1988);
ΘΛΙΨΗ : Greek translation by Paulos Ioannou (2022);
A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p58, 2007);
A Celebration Of Flames (kindle, 2014);
A Celebration Of Flames (amazon paperback, p57, 2014).
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© 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 yuan (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 @ $20 & kindle @ only $5
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#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons #of #words #comparative #literature #literary #criticism
#a #celebration #of #flames #sadness


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