THE SCREAM

THE SCREAM

My sister screamed in the night

Take me to my brother’s house

And there she screamed that same night

No no! Take me back to the house of my father

They took her back

And when she made to scream again

The night had passed

And the men had gone to work.

.

My sister screamed in the night

Take me to my father’s house

They took her

And there she screamed

No no! Take me back to the house of my husband

They took her back

And when she made to scream again

The night had passed

And the men had gone to work.

.

My sister

Has not screamed for years

She only walks the street

Casts a glance at every house she meets

And dreams that she is screaming in the night

And they are taking her and taking her back

Along a road with no beginning and no end.

.

Down the road she walked

She came upon a body cast aside

In its breast a hole from which blood ran

Swiftly

She made a paste of spit and dust

And sealed the hole

The body breathed

And rose on bone feet

Kissed her and returned to its place.

My sister

Screamed in the night

Take me to the road. She screamed

And the night was passing

And the men were going to work.

TOMORROW THE VILLAGE MARKET DAY

I will go to the spring

where you slip away to fill your jar

everyone at the market and me by the tree

we maintain twenty metres no more no less

and this before you catch on a stone or two

and before a foot slips and a jar slips

leaving me ahead

on our way to the spring again

by twenty metres and a slight smile.

Today the village market day

everyone at the market

and you by the spring and me

ahead of you by twenty paces

my whole back shining eyes.

1. from the Arabic by ROBIN MOGER