Poem
Julian Talamantez Brolaski
WHO SANG BUT ASKED FOR NO GIFTS
DIE ZONGEN MAAR NIET VROEGEN OM GESCHENKEN
die zongen maar niet vroegen om geschenkenniets haalt het bij
de radio die het weer dag in dag uit beschreef
als ‘druilerig en mistig’
wat zijn die schepsels die grazen op een heuvel
met een aanschouwing onloochenbaar als schapen
nee toch niet want ze waren veelkleurig bont
met een aanschouwing onloochenbaar daarna als paarden
nee toch niet want ze misten die wildwestelijke schwung, en vetlok,
en knik van het hoofd.
zijn het misschien koeien?
hou op te denken als een koeiboy.
het was moeilijk te zien door de druilerigheid en de mist.
kraai kon het zeggen, maar wij spraken zijn taal niet
die van de zanger alleen een kapotte gitaarsnaar vroeg
die wist dat de prijs van de soep de O’ in de naam was
we centimeterden, we inchten op ze af
tegen de tijd dat we dichtbij genoeg waren om te zien dat het
heel kleine paardjes waren verscheen er een greppel. een hek. twee stappen verwijderd
van paardenvlees. Ik deed een pas en zonk in het zachte drijfzand.
hun gezang stokte in mijn keel
jippie tie jai jo en vort verdoolde kalfjes
tis jullie stomme pech en niet die van ons
wat zijn dat voor schepsels die grazen op een heuvel
die zongen maar niet vroegen om geschenken op deze groene aarde
om troost, want de mist en het gras was hun voedsel
© Vertaling: 2014, Erik Bindervoet & Robbert-Jan Henkes
WHO SANG BUT ASKED FOR NO GIFTS
who sang but asked for no giftsno overtaking
the radio which described the weather day after day
as ‘dull and misty’
what are those creatures grazing on a hill
whos aspect manifest as sheep
no but they were particolored
whos aspect manifest next as horses
but they had not that western fashion, nor fetlock,
nor toss of the neck.
could they be cows?
stop thinking like a cowboy.
it was hard to see thru the dullness and the mist.
crow could tell us, but we couldn’t speak its language
who asked only of the singer a broken guitar string
who knew the price of the soup was the O’ in its name
we inched toward them
by the time it was close enough to see that they
were tiny horses a moat revealed itself. a fence. two removes
from horseflesh. I stepped and sank into the quick soft sand.
their song choked in my throat
yippee ti yi yo get along little dogies
it’s your misfortune and none of our own
what are those creatures grazing on a hill
who sang but asked for no gifts on this green earth
no solace, for the mist and the grass was their food
© 2014, Julian Talamantez Brolaski
Julian Talamantez Brolaski
(United States of America, 1978)
Julian Talamantez Brolaski is a two-spirit and transgender poet of mixed Mescalero and Lipan Apache, Latin@, and European heritages. Brolaski has published four poetry collections, including Of Mongrelitude (Wave Book, 2017), which was a Finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. It is also the lead singer and rhythm guitarist in the country bands Juan & the Pines and the Western Skyline. Brolaski...
Poems
Poems of Julian Talamantez Brolaski
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WHO SANG BUT ASKED FOR NO GIFTS
who sang but asked for no giftsno overtaking
the radio which described the weather day after day
as ‘dull and misty’
what are those creatures grazing on a hill
whos aspect manifest as sheep
no but they were particolored
whos aspect manifest next as horses
but they had not that western fashion, nor fetlock,
nor toss of the neck.
could they be cows?
stop thinking like a cowboy.
it was hard to see thru the dullness and the mist.
crow could tell us, but we couldn’t speak its language
who asked only of the singer a broken guitar string
who knew the price of the soup was the O’ in its name
we inched toward them
by the time it was close enough to see that they
were tiny horses a moat revealed itself. a fence. two removes
from horseflesh. I stepped and sank into the quick soft sand.
their song choked in my throat
yippee ti yi yo get along little dogies
it’s your misfortune and none of our own
what are those creatures grazing on a hill
who sang but asked for no gifts on this green earth
no solace, for the mist and the grass was their food
WHO SANG BUT ASKED FOR NO GIFTS
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