A NIGHT FULL OF THUNDER

A NIGHT FULL OF THUNDER 

© Farouk Asvat 

On a night full of thunder

Our bodies touched,

The first rains of the season fell,

And the Christmas tree stopped weeping

In the land of drought

The night sings to say

You avoid thorns,

But I am wounded by kisses

Touched by heartaches

But from the silent grave

Comes your tender song

Lamenting

Calling me

Deep, deep within your soul

Knowing there is nothing to expect

But what others offer

I accept.

You bring a gift of the wind

A handful of water

And a heart that brings bouquets

To the massacre of my soul

© farouk asvat

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

___________________________________________________________________________    

[§] 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

@ 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

___________________________________________________________________________    

● EEN NACHT VOL ONWEER  

     Dutch translation by © Irene Scheltes 

In een nacht vol onweer

Raakten onze lichamen elkaar,

De eerste regen van het seizoen viel,

En de kerstboom hield op met wenen

In het droge land:

De nacht zegt zingend

Je ontloopt de doornen,

Maar ik ben verwond door kussen

Door hartzeer getroffen.

Maar uit het z wijgende graf

Komt jouw tedere lied

Weeklagend

Mij roepend

Diep, diep in je ziel:

In 't besef dat ik niets kan verwachten

Dan wat anderen bieden

Aaanvaard ik.

En jij brengt een gift van de wind

Een handvol water

Een hart dat boeketten brengt

Naar het bloedbad van mijn ziel

     Dutch translation by kind permission of © Irene Scheltes 

___________________________________________________________________________    

● ΜΙΑ ΒΡΑΔΙΑ ΓΕΜΑΤΗ ΒΡΟΝΤΕΣ  

     Greek translation by © Paulos Ioannou 

Μια νύχτα γεμάτη βροντές

τα σώματά μας άγγιξαν,

Καθώς έπεσαν οι πρώτες βροχές της σεζόν,

Και το χριστουγεννιάτικο δέντρο σταμάτησε να κλαίει

Στη χώρα της ξηρασίας

Η νύχτα τραγουδάει για να πει

Ότι αποφεύγεις τα αγκάθια,

Μα πληγώνομαι από φιλιά

Βουτηγμένα σε  στενοχώριες

Μα από τον βουβό τάφο

Βγαίνει το τρυφερό σου τραγούδι

Θρηνώντας

Καλώντας με

Βαθιά, βαθιά μέσα στην ψυχή σου

Γνωρίζοντας ότι δεν υπάρχει τίποτα να περιμένεις,

Αλλά ότι προσφέρουν οι άλλοι

Δέχομαι.

Φέρνεις το δώρο του ανέμου

Μια χούφτα νερό

Και μια καρδιά που φέρνει ανθοδέσμες

To the massacre of my soul

     Greek translation by kind permission of © Paulos Ioannou 

___________________________________________________________________________    

[] acknowledgements:

A Night Full Of Thunder was previously published in:

A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p50, 1987);

A Celebration of Flames (heller fund, uc berkeley, california, usa, p42, 1988);

A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p63, 2007);

Een Nacht Vol Onweer: Dutch translation by Irene Scheltes (1989);

ΜΙΑ ΒΡΑΔΙΑ ΓΕΜΑΤΗ ΒΡΟΝΤΕΣ : Greek translation by Paulos Ioannou (2022);

https://faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-night-full-of-thunder.html  (24.07.2012);

A Celebration Of Flames (kindle, 2014);

A Celebration Of Flames (amazon paperback, p62, 2014).

___________________________________________________________________________    

© 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.

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

the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat

is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $20 & kindle @ only $5

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

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

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

#a #celebration #of #flames #a #night #full #of #thunder

● 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