27 November 2012

THERE IS NOTHING TO BELIEVE IN

THERE IS NOTHING TO BELIEVE IN  
© Farouk Asvat  

There is nothing more to say.

Politeness can be devastating
Love can turn to laughter
As I sit here in the corner
With crumpled heart
Wondering what it's all about

While my mentors seek wisdom
In silence
Or strategies of a new kind

But still
New friendships come from old hurts
And tomorrow you'll see me
Quickfooted and clowning on the corner
Wondering what it's all about

© 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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ER IS NIETS OM IN TE GELOVEN 

     Dutch translation by © Irene Scheltes  

Er is niets om in te geloven
Beleefdheid kan vernietigend zijn
Liefde kan omslaan in spot
Terwijl ik hier in een hoekje zit
Met verkreukeld hart
En me afvraag aar het allemaal om draait

Terwijl mijn leermeesters wijsheid zoeken
In stilte
Of nieuwe strategieën.

Maar toch,
Nieuwe vriendschappen ontstaan uit oude pijn;
En morgen zul je me zien
Snelvoetig, clownesk op de hoek
Me afvragend waar het allemaal om draait

     Dutch translation by kind permission of © Irene Scheltes  
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ΔΕΝ ΥΠΑΡΧΕΙ ΤΙΠΟΤΑ ΝΑ ΠΙΣΤΕΨΩ  

     Greek translation by © Paulos Ioannou  

Δεν υπάρχει τίποτα να πιστέψω.
Η ευγένεια μπορεί να είναι καταστροφική
Η αγάπη μπορεί να μετατραπεί σε γέλιο
Καθώς κάθομαι εδώ στη γωνία
Με τσαλακωμένη καρδιά
Αναρωτιέμαι περί τίνος πρόκειται

Ενώ οι μέντορες μου αναζητούν τη σοφία
Στη σιωπή
Ή στρατηγικές ενός νέου είδους

Αλλά ακόμα
Νέες φιλίες προέρχονται από παλιές πληγές
Και αύριο θα με δεις
Γοργοπόδαρο και χαζολογώντας στη γωνία
Να αναρωτιέμαι περί τίνος πρόκειται

     Greek translation by kind permission of © Paulos Ioannou  
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[] acknowledgements:
There Is Nothing More To Say / There Is Nothing To Believe In was previously published in:
A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p36, 1987);
A Celebration of Flames (Heller Fund, UC Berkeley, California, USA, p30, 1988);
Horses: Athlone (ekapa & buchu books, cape town, p15, 1988);
Er Is Niets Om In Te Geloven: Dutch translation by Irene Scheltes (1989);
ΔΕΝ ΥΠΑΡΧΕΙ ΤΙΠΟΤΑ ΝΑ ΠΙΣΤΕΨΩ : Greek translation by © Paulos Ioannou;
A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p48, 2007);
A Celebration Of Flames (kindle, 2014);
A Celebration Of Flames (amazon paperback, p48, 2014).
(new edited version: 17.04.2012)
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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 #there #is #nothing #to #believe #in


● BE A REVOLUTIONARY!

"Remember that the highest rank that the human species can reach is to be a revolutionary."
● Ernesto (Ché) Guevara

"Always be a poet, even in prose."
● Charles Baudelaire

"Read ten thousand books, and your pen will be guided as if by the gods."
● Ancient Chinese Proverb

#liberate #palestine
#stop #massacres
#stop #genocide

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