Poem
Fiston Mwanza Mujila
Kasala for my Kaku II
Mvidi Mukulu, the Elder Spirit, punished my Kaku with an absurdly long lifeKaku grew older, he broke down, but did not pass away for all that
he boasted he had been born in 1667, in 1756 or 1786
once, he even died for thirty minutes
and was raised from the dead as if nothing had happened
protester of the first rain, fine looking fellow
from the summit of his three centuries of age
my Kaku had the quick blood of a youngster
© Translation: 2019, Bret Maney
Kasala voor mijn Kaku II
Mvidi Mukulu, de Oudste Geest, had mijn Kaku gestraft met een absurd lang levenKaku werd steeds ouder, hij kwijnde weg maar sterven, ho maar
hij pochte dat hij geboren was in 1667, in 1756 of in 1786
ooit was hij zelfs een half uur lang dood
en verrees alsof er niets was gebeurd
dwarsdrijver vanaf de eerste regendruppels, knappe man
drie eeuwen oud was hij en toch
had mijn Kaku het verse bloed van een jonge kerel
© Vertaling: 2019, Katelijne De Vuyst
Kasala pour mon Kaku II
Mvidi Mukulu, l’Esprit Aîné, avait puni mon Kaku d‘une longévité absurdeKaku vieillissait, pourrissait mais ne trépassait pas pour autant
il se targuait d‘être né en 1667, en 1756 ou 1786
une fois, il mourut même pendant trente minutes
et ressuscita comme si de rien n’était
protestataire de la première pluie, beau gosse
du haut de ses trois siècles d‘âge
mon Kaku avait le sang frais d‘un jeunot
© 2019, Fiston Mwanza Mujila
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Poems of Fiston Mwanza Mujila
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Kasala for my Kaku II
Mvidi Mukulu, the Elder Spirit, punished my Kaku with an absurdly long lifeKaku grew older, he broke down, but did not pass away for all that
he boasted he had been born in 1667, in 1756 or 1786
once, he even died for thirty minutes
and was raised from the dead as if nothing had happened
protester of the first rain, fine looking fellow
from the summit of his three centuries of age
my Kaku had the quick blood of a youngster
© 2019, Bret Maney
Kasala for my Kaku II
Mvidi Mukulu, the Elder Spirit, punished my Kaku with an absurdly long lifeKaku grew older, he broke down, but did not pass away for all that
he boasted he had been born in 1667, in 1756 or 1786
once, he even died for thirty minutes
and was raised from the dead as if nothing had happened
protester of the first rain, fine looking fellow
from the summit of his three centuries of age
my Kaku had the quick blood of a youngster
© 2019, Bret Maney
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