Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nazih Abou Afach

THE DOOMED

It is not because I’m scared, nor pessimistic, nor have a coward’s heart,
But, whenever I’m forced into a war
I think about it this way:
If anyone is going to die
Then it will obviously be me.

My friend/enemy over there in the opposite trench
Thinks in another way:
If anyone is going to survive this war
Then it will obviously be me.

There is always another witness
Who everyone sees and yet no one yearns to know what he thinks,
Standing alone on the hill
Gazing on everyone’s trenches
He thinks of it in a different way:
If one must die and one survive,
This means all are doomed.


ZIJ DIE GAAN STERVEN

Niet omdat ik bang, neerslachtig en lafhartig ben
Als ik gedwongen wordt de oorlog in te gaan
Denk ik:
Als het zeker is dat iemand zal sterven
Dan is het duidelijk dat “ik” dat ben

Mijn vriend/mijn vijand daar, in de loopgraaf aan de overkant
Denkt anders:
Als het zeker is dat iemand de oorlog zal overleven
Dan is het vanzelfsprekend dat “ik” dat ben

Er is altijd een andere getuige
Die iedereen ziet en om wiens gedachten zich niemand bekommert
Eenzaam op een heuvel
Overziet hij alle loopgraven

Hij denkt heel anders:
Als het zeker is dat iemand ontkomt en dat iemand sterft
Dan betekent het dat allen gaan sterven

Close

THE DOOMED

It is not because I’m scared, nor pessimistic, nor have a coward’s heart,
But, whenever I’m forced into a war
I think about it this way:
If anyone is going to die
Then it will obviously be me.

My friend/enemy over there in the opposite trench
Thinks in another way:
If anyone is going to survive this war
Then it will obviously be me.

There is always another witness
Who everyone sees and yet no one yearns to know what he thinks,
Standing alone on the hill
Gazing on everyone’s trenches
He thinks of it in a different way:
If one must die and one survive,
This means all are doomed.


THE DOOMED

It is not because I’m scared, nor pessimistic, nor have a coward’s heart,
But, whenever I’m forced into a war
I think about it this way:
If anyone is going to die
Then it will obviously be me.

My friend/enemy over there in the opposite trench
Thinks in another way:
If anyone is going to survive this war
Then it will obviously be me.

There is always another witness
Who everyone sees and yet no one yearns to know what he thinks,
Standing alone on the hill
Gazing on everyone’s trenches
He thinks of it in a different way:
If one must die and one survive,
This means all are doomed.


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