Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Dunya Mikhail

The War Works Hard

How magnificent the war is!
How eager
and efficient!
Early in the morning,
it wakes up the sirens
and dispatches ambulances
to various places,
swings corpses through the air,
rolls stretchers to the wounded,
summons rain
from the eyes of mothers,
digs into the earth
dislodging many things
from under the ruins . . .
Some are lifeless and glistening,
others are pale and still throbbing . . .
It produces the most questions
in the minds of children,
entertains the gods
by shooting fireworks and missiles
into the sky,
sows mines in the fields
and reaps punctures and blisters,
urges families to emigrate,
stands beside the clergymen
as they curse the devil
(poor devil, he remains
with one hand in the searing fire) . . .
The war continues working, day and night.
It inspires tyrants
to deliver long speeches,
awards medals to generals
and themes to poets.
It contributes to the industry
of artificial limbs,
provides food for flies,
adds pages to the history books,
achieves equality
between killer and killed,
teaches lovers to write letters,
accustoms young women to waiting,
fills the newspapers
with articles and pictures,
builds new houses
for the orphans,
invigorates the coffin makers,
gives grave diggers
a pat on the back
and paints a smile on the leader’s face.
The war works with unparalleled diligence!
Yet no one gives it
a word of praise.

DE OORLOG DOET ZIJN BEST

Wat is de oorlog precies
        en ijverig
        en vindingrijk
vanaf de vroege morgen
wekt hij sirenes
en stuurt ambulances
naar allerlei plaatsen
slingert lijken de lucht in
rolt brancards naar gewonden
roept regen op in de ogen van moeders
graaft in de grond
haalt veel dingen
onder het puin vandaan
glanzende harde dingen
en bleke dingen die nog kloppen
roept veel vragen op
bij kinderen
vermaakt de goden door raketten
en vuurwerk de lucht in te schieten
zaait mijnen in akkers
oogst gaten en bubbels
drijft families het land uit
staat stil bij godgeleerden
als zij de duivel verwensen
(de arme drommel, zijn hand in de hel doet hem zeer)
de oorlog werkt ’s morgens en ’s avonds
inspireert tirannen tot lange redevoeringen
verleent onderscheidingen aan generaals
geeft dichters iets om over te schrijven
werkt mee aan het maken van kunstledematen
geeft vliegen veel voedsel
voegt bladzijden toe aan de geschiedenis
maakt doden en gedood worden gelijk aan elkaar
leert geliefden brieven schrijven
oefent meisjes in wachten
vult kranten met teksten en plaatjes
bouwt nieuwe huizen voor wezen
zet kistenmakers aan het werk
klopt grafdelvers op de schouder
tekent een lach op het gezicht van de leider
hij werkt als geen ander
maar niemand prijst hem

الحرب تعمل بجد


كم هي مجدةٌ الحربُ
                 ونشطة
                        وبارعة!
منذ الصباح الباكر
توقظُ صفاراتِ الانذار
تبعثُ سياراتِ اسعافٍ
الى مختلف الأمكنة
تؤرجحُ جثثاً في الهواء
تزحلقُ نقالاتٍ الى الجرحى
تستدعي مطراً من عيون الامهات
تحفر في التراب
تُخرجُ اشياءَ كثيرةً
                 من تحت الانقاض
أشياء جامدة براقة
وأخرى باهتة مازالت تنبض
تأتي بالمزيد من الاسئلة
الى أذهان الاطفال
تسلّي الالهة باطلاق صواريخ
وألعاب نارية في السماء
تزرعُ الالغامَ في الحقول
تحصدُ ثقوباً وفقاعات
تدفعُ عوائلَ الى الهجرة
تقف مع رجال الدين
وهم يشتمون الشيطان
(المسكين يده مازالت في النار تؤلمهُ)
الحرب تواصل عملها صباح مساء
تُلهمُ طغاةً لالقاء خطب طويلة
تمنحُ الجنرالات اوسمة
والشعراءَ موضوعاً للكتابة
تساهم في صناعة الاطراف الاصطناعية
توفرُ طعاماً للذباب
تضيفُ صفحاتٍ الى كتاب التاريخ
تحققُ المساواةَ بين القاتل والقتيل
تعلّمُ العشاقَ كتابةَ الرسائل
تدرّبُ الفتياتِ على الانتظار
تملأ الجرائدَ بالمواضيع والصور
تشيد دوراً جديدة  لليتامى
تنشّطُ صانعي التوابيت
تربتُ على أكتاف حفاري القبور
ترسمُ ابتسامةً على وجه القائد
انها تعمل بجد لامثيل له
ومع هذا لا أحد يمتدحها بكلمة.
Close

The War Works Hard

How magnificent the war is!
How eager
and efficient!
Early in the morning,
it wakes up the sirens
and dispatches ambulances
to various places,
swings corpses through the air,
rolls stretchers to the wounded,
summons rain
from the eyes of mothers,
digs into the earth
dislodging many things
from under the ruins . . .
Some are lifeless and glistening,
others are pale and still throbbing . . .
It produces the most questions
in the minds of children,
entertains the gods
by shooting fireworks and missiles
into the sky,
sows mines in the fields
and reaps punctures and blisters,
urges families to emigrate,
stands beside the clergymen
as they curse the devil
(poor devil, he remains
with one hand in the searing fire) . . .
The war continues working, day and night.
It inspires tyrants
to deliver long speeches,
awards medals to generals
and themes to poets.
It contributes to the industry
of artificial limbs,
provides food for flies,
adds pages to the history books,
achieves equality
between killer and killed,
teaches lovers to write letters,
accustoms young women to waiting,
fills the newspapers
with articles and pictures,
builds new houses
for the orphans,
invigorates the coffin makers,
gives grave diggers
a pat on the back
and paints a smile on the leader’s face.
The war works with unparalleled diligence!
Yet no one gives it
a word of praise.

The War Works Hard

How magnificent the war is!
How eager
and efficient!
Early in the morning,
it wakes up the sirens
and dispatches ambulances
to various places,
swings corpses through the air,
rolls stretchers to the wounded,
summons rain
from the eyes of mothers,
digs into the earth
dislodging many things
from under the ruins . . .
Some are lifeless and glistening,
others are pale and still throbbing . . .
It produces the most questions
in the minds of children,
entertains the gods
by shooting fireworks and missiles
into the sky,
sows mines in the fields
and reaps punctures and blisters,
urges families to emigrate,
stands beside the clergymen
as they curse the devil
(poor devil, he remains
with one hand in the searing fire) . . .
The war continues working, day and night.
It inspires tyrants
to deliver long speeches,
awards medals to generals
and themes to poets.
It contributes to the industry
of artificial limbs,
provides food for flies,
adds pages to the history books,
achieves equality
between killer and killed,
teaches lovers to write letters,
accustoms young women to waiting,
fills the newspapers
with articles and pictures,
builds new houses
for the orphans,
invigorates the coffin makers,
gives grave diggers
a pat on the back
and paints a smile on the leader’s face.
The war works with unparalleled diligence!
Yet no one gives it
a word of praise.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère