Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ayana Erdal

Next to my children I


Next to my children I
am stripped of all my possessions
including my home perhaps I won’t have a home
and my honor has also fallen
down the drain
next to my children one doesn’t notice
me when I speak
and my hands trying to warm up
hang over the fire
while my throat
shrieks
don’t save me
for I’m already burned
my honor is blackened coal
when will my children
feel the loss
of their mother?
 

Next to my children I

 
לְיַד יְלָדַי אֲנִי
מְנֻשֶּׁלֶת מִכָּל נְכָסַי
גַּם בֵּיתִי אוּלַי לֹא יִהְיֶה לִי בַּיִת
גַּם כְּבוֹדִי כְּבָר נָפַל
לְפֶתַח הַנִּקּוּז
לְיַד יְלָדַי לֹא מַבְחִינִים
בִּי כְּשֶׁאֲנִי מְדַבֶּרֶת
וְאֶת כַּפּוֹת יָדַי הַמְנַסּוֹת לְהִתְחַמֵּם
שׁוֹמְטִים מִן הָאֵשׁ
כָּל כַּמָּה שֶׁגְּרוֹנִי
זוֹעֵק
אַל תְּחַלְּצוּנִי
הֲרֵי נִשְׂרַפְתִּי כְּבָר
כְּבוֹדִי פֶּחָם
וִילָדַי
מָתַי יָחוּשׁוּ בְּחֶסְרוֹן
אִמָּם?
Close

Next to my children I


Next to my children I
am stripped of all my possessions
including my home perhaps I won’t have a home
and my honor has also fallen
down the drain
next to my children one doesn’t notice
me when I speak
and my hands trying to warm up
hang over the fire
while my throat
shrieks
don’t save me
for I’m already burned
my honor is blackened coal
when will my children
feel the loss
of their mother?
 

Next to my children I


Next to my children I
am stripped of all my possessions
including my home perhaps I won’t have a home
and my honor has also fallen
down the drain
next to my children one doesn’t notice
me when I speak
and my hands trying to warm up
hang over the fire
while my throat
shrieks
don’t save me
for I’m already burned
my honor is blackened coal
when will my children
feel the loss
of their mother?
 
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère