09 December 2014

THE FOLKS

THE FOLKS  
© Farouk Asvat  

Do you understand now? Gattoo.
He lives on another plane
He speaks nicely to us
Promises us green pastures
Here on the dry Cape Flats.
Lives in a palace, Gattoo.
An' here we are
In our beloved shacks.
Yes.  An' now the big-little-one is married
An' here the little one lies
An' suffers from hunger.
Oh foei tog,
So it goes:
a little pride here
a little heartache there
a piece o' bread and tea
a few pieces snoek
and stolen wine.
Yes, so it goes.
But always the hope remains,
You know,
That lies in a woman's heart.
It's worth nothing,
But it lets an old soul continue.

© farouk asvat

* original composed: 1985 [johannesburg, south africa under #apartheid ].
# english translation by farouk asvat: 2007 [johannesburg, south africa under new #apartheid ].

[] acknowledgements:
# The Folks / * Die Volk was previously published in:
A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p22, 1987); *
Bra Frooks … (piquant publications, p26, 2006); *
A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p22, 2007); #
ΟΙ ΛΑΟΙ: greek translation by Paulos Ioannou (2022); 
Bra Frooks … (kindle, 2014); *
Bra Frooks … (amazon paperback, p24, 2014); *
A Celebration Of Flames (kindle, 2014); #
A Celebration Of Flames (amazon paperback, p28, 2014). # 
___________________________________________________________________________    
[§] 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
___________________________________________________________________________    
¨ 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
___________________________________________________________________________    
[] WIETIE WHAT-WHAT:

DIE VOLK  
© Farouk Asvat  

      original #afrikaans slang version

Verstaan djy nou? Gattoo.
Hy liewe op 'n anne' plane
Hy praat mooi met ons
Promise ons green pastures
Hier oppie drooë Cape Flats.
Liewe in a pahleis, Gattoo.
En hie' is ons
In ons liewe pondokkies.
Ja.  En nou is die grotertjie getrou
En hier lê die kleintjie
En lei van hongerte.
Ag foei tog,
Soe gaan dit mos soe.
'n bietjie trots hier
'n bietjie hartseer daar
'n stukkie brood en tee
'n paar stukkies snoek
en 'n bietjie gesteelde wyn.
Ja, soe gaan dit mos soe.
Maa' altyd bly die hoop,
Djy wiet,
Wat in 'n vrou se hart lê.
Dis werd niks
Maa' dit laat 'n ou siel maa' aangaan.

© farouk asvat

original #afrikaans slang version composed: 1985 [johannesburg, south africa under #apartheid ].

Bra Frooks is ...
[] nes 'n skollie
[] 'n egte skollie
[] 'n tsotsi
[] a real scamp
[] streetwise
[] the jokerman

Bra Frooks ...
[] praat soos 'n skollie
[] wietie soos 'n joster
[] wietie what-what
[] tunes like a durbanite
[] speaks like an englishman
___________________________________________________________________________    
ΟΙ ΛΑΟΙ

     #greek translation by © Paulos Ioannou 

Καταλαβαίνεις τώρα; Γκάτου.
Ζει σε άλλο πλανήτη
Μας μιλάει όμορφα
Μας υπόσχεται πράσινα βοσκοτόπια
Εδώ στη ξεραΐλα του Cape Flats.
Ζει σε παλάτι,  Γκάτου.
Κι εμείς εδώ είμαστε
Στις αγαπημένες μας παράγκες.
Ναι. Και τώρα ο μικρομεγάλος είναι παντρεμένος
Κι εδώ ο μικρός ξαπλωμένος
Να υποφέρει από πείνα.
Τι ντροπή,
Έτσι πάει το πράμα:
λίγη περηφάνια εδώ
λίγος πόνος εκεί
ένα κομμάτι ψωμί και τσάι
λίγα κομμάτια λαβράκι
και κλεμμένο κρασί.
Ναι, έτσι πάει.
Αλλά πάντα η ελπίδα παραμένει,
Ξέρεις,
Αυτό που βρίσκεται στην καρδιά μιας γυναίκας.
Δεν αξίζει τίποτα,
Αλλά επιτρέπει σε μια γερασμένη ψυχή να συνεχίσει.

     #greek translation by kind permission of © 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 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
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#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons #of #words #comparative #literature #literary #criticism
#bra #frooks #die #volk
#a celebration of flames #the #folks


● 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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