The following poems I’ve written in 2008 – 2010 for the Sawubona Music Jam – Poetry Slam
Truth of Commission and Reconciliation
by Carsten Trotzkowski
I say they are guilty.
They are guilty because they did it.
Because they did it to us.
To us who never did anything.
Who never did anything to stop it.
To stop it which is not easy at all.
Not easy at all – what only few people tried.
Only few people tried, risking their lifes.
Risking their lifes because those thought they were guilty.
They were guilty because they did it.
Because they did it to them.
To them who never did anything.
Who never did anything to stop it.
–
To stop it which is not easy at all.
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This poem ranked 3rd place in the finals of Sawubona Poetry Slam, under the jury of “international literature festival Berlin” (ilb)
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Valediction –
Will she be waiting for me?
by Carsten Trotzkowski
Butterflies, bees, waving weeds inside me
Am I happy, crazy, desparate?
But torn to parts I am
Affection, love, waving needs inside me
I am loving, oh so loving her!
But torn apart we are
Who is right? How could my views
Have been so wrong?
All those people that once cared for me, they –
Have they really said those words?
Have I mistaken them all time?
Can they be wrong in all they’ve told me? Or is my mind deceptive to myself…
But – oh – I fear she might suffer, suffer because she met me
Because her people will surely know, how I fear they know it now
That she has messed with people like me
That she has dressed for ogres like me
That she has slept with heathens like me
That –
But – oh – I recall how her eyes blazed, blazed because she met me.
Because her figure will surely enchant, all her entity enchanted me.
That I will crave to make her laugh
That I will prove her trust in me
That I will seek to heighten her beauty
That –
Who is right? How could my views
Have been so wrong?
All those tales come back to me, they –
Have they really done those deeds?
Have they antag’nized us all time?
Can mine be wrong in all they’ve showed me? Or is my kind deceptive to myself…
Elegies, hymns, waving screeds inside me
Am I sturdy, steady, done to leave?
Then torn from clod I’ll be
Early sunbeams guide my way to the veld…
Sweetest breeze takes my heart to the skies…
Dry river marks the borderline…
Will she be waiting for me?
The Poor and the Prim
by Carsten Trotzkowski
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I am full of hope |
I doubt I will make it |
| . | . |
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This morning a lark sang |
T’day’s radio roused me |
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A fragile wakeup song |
With hazardous stock news |
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So I whispered my children |
So I called up my lawyer |
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Just to rest for a while |
For immediate plans |
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But lil’ Moses said “How |
But that airhead whined “How |
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Can it sing high and bonny?” |
Will you file suit them boldly?” |
| . | . |
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I said |
I yelled |
| . | . |
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“God sent the soul of |
“Gov’ment’s sent waifers |
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Your bro’ Jobe from heaven |
For all black and bondsmen |
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To tell us the miracle |
To ruin our stock corp |
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Of life” |
To death” |
| . | . |
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We wallowed in admiration |
I hung up in deep frustration |
| . | . |
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Then ol’ Dave came up over: |
Then my wife shrilled my cellphone: |
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“They’ll reopen our gem mine |
She’ll proceed with our parting |
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And the earnings be equal and high” |
“Alimony insistently high” |
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So I reached for my Sunday’s |
So I reached for my notebook |
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To apply for the headman |
To deploy “friends” for raid sweeps: |
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Though it’s hundreds who’ll also apply |
The black’s gem mine, so that hundreds will die |
| . | . |
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I am full of hope |
I doubt I will make it |
The Bulletproof Sack
by Carsten Trotzkowski (for brave Philo Ikonya)
So please prepare this order
And buy from over border
A bulletproof sack.
Our state, it’s in disorder
We know Policemen’s order
For mercy to lack.
Her life, it is in danger
From any unknown stranger
From privileged pack.
So bolt your wheels much tighter
Beware the cigarette lighter
And lock tight your shack.
The sack will show the masses
That all suppression passes
That freedom’s on track!
Not only girls will wear it
But all the free shall share it
We – all – shall sail tack.
That symbol from the Great Book
Will open up the outlook:
Democracy’s back!
We’ll meet in parks and houses
Until nobody rouses
Our bulletproof sack.
As Billy Said
by Carsten Trotzkowski
As long as there are children there is hope.
As long as there is hope there are children.
While there are hoping children, there is friendship.
As long as they’re in friendship, there is peace.
As long as there’s no peace, there’s no freedom.
Still while there is no freedom, there is you.
As long as you are there, there’s a chance.
As long as there are chances, there’s your hope.
Now hoping children’s friendship’s peace sets free your chance that hoping children’s friendship’s peace sets free your chance that hoping children’s friendship’s peace sets free your chance that….
That our hope will go on forever.
The End
by Carsten Trotzkowski
So this is the end
The end we should have expected
We should have expected it looked good
It looked good but what did we expect from it?
What did we expect from it what we were not wanting to do?
We were not wanting to do selfish offences
To do selfish offences that hurt people
That hurt people we love
People we love go, so
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So this is the end.
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Don’t go!
Omega
Translation of “The End” by Otiato Guguyu
Kumbe huu ndio mwisho
Mwisho ambao tungeutarajia
Uzuri wake matarajio yetu
Na maridadi ilionekana
Lakini tulitarajia Ni?
Tulilolitarajia tusilotaka kufanya
Hatukutaka kabisa dhambi za ubinafsi
Makosa ya ubinafsi yanayowadhuru watu
Ubinafsi utufanyao fidhuli
Fidhuli wanaowagugumiza wanaowapenda
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Na wanaotupenda kwenda
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Kumbe!