Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Poetry of Albert Helman

1998; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 21; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/cal.1998.0156

1080-6512

Albert Helman, Francis R. Jones, Edward Archibald Markham,

Poetry Analysis and Criticism

Poetry by Albert Helman Albert Helman (bio) Translated by Francis R. Jones (bio) and E.A. Markham (bio) Adyosi 1 [Farewell] Adyosi dan, kunet’ alontu. So, like I say, that’s it; Na go m’ e go, a lati kba. I going, man; time to say goodnight. Dei ben de langa, baskita hebi, After a long day I putting down the load. pina fu libi now panya. As they say, it go make things lighter. M’ e go na oso, mi papaya I tell you, the crocus bag de wakti mi na tapu gron. Already lay out on my floor. Mi weri. Ala mi kriyoro Tired? I can look after myself mi gi nyanyan, mi gi fonfon. But sometimes I just don’t care any more. Kande sontron mi no du leti, I was, maybe, a bit of a bastard, ma m’ du san mi anu fen’ fu du. But I had a go, did my thing. Mi Gado sab’ fa bun m’ ben wani I didn’t aim to be a bad man awas’ sonsma tak’ mi takru. Though some does bad-mouth me like sin. Now net’ kon tapu, dei kon kowru; Now the old limbs letting me down. Dark blotting out the day; mi futu hebi, mi anu flaw. Sleep riding me down like donkey, No, mi n’ e tan fu tak’ nyun tori. And I don’t have anything new to say. Ah, srib’ e kiri mi lek’ asaw. So, folks, I going for true. Dat’ ede, konpe, m’ e drai baka. Don’t think of graveyard, I gone past that gate. M’ e gwe, na berpe-sei m’ e psa. That’s it, then, everyone; goodnight, goodnight. Adyosi dan, kunet’ alontu. I not coming back, man. Too late. No, mi n’ e drai moro, a lati kba. [Sranan] [End Page 664] Fu memre Sophie Redmond 2 [In Memory of Sophie Redmond] Datra soleki datra n’ e libi moro, There’s not many like you anymore, na so y’ ben de,—datra fu pôtisma. A doctor for the people Mama-ati musudei mek’ yu opo yu doro, Who used to come early and late to your door, Like children to their mother. mama-ati na neti no mek’ yu kaba. But when the Big Thief grab at your heart Ma di tranga Dede kon grabu yu ati, You had no medicine to take: We know he can outdo the doctor’s art fu datra yusrefi wan dresi no ben de. Curing more than the body’s pain. Dede anga datra, den puru skinati, Our role model, the service you gave ma Dede nomo sa puru geme. Will stay with us. So don’t worry, They can’t bury that in your grave. Geme tan gi un, fu mek’ un prakseri No Sranan will ever forget you, Sister Sophie. a bun di y’ ben du, a pasyens’ di yu gi. A voorbeeld di y’ sori, Sranan n’ o man beri; un no sa frigit’ yu.—Adyosi Sophie! [Sranan] [End Page 665] Boboisingi 3 [Lullaby] Doi, doi, mi pikinnengre Dudu, it’s past your bedtime, eh? tap’ i ai, no si yorka, Now shut your eye. One-foot bika y’ e go tan malengre, Jumbie gonna want you favor him y’ e go tron nelek’ bakra. Or go turn you white Tap’ i ai, mi boi, no bari, m’ e tan waki na yu sei; So shut you eye, don’t cry, son, dungru de na ala dyari, I still here; I not going away. ma tamara yu kan prei. The yards dark dark long time now; Doi, doi, mi pikin basi, But tomorrow you can play. tap’ i yesi, sribi bun. Net’ fadon, sma las’ den pasi, Dudu, what foolishness it have in your head? d’ e go mit’ nanga babun. Sleep, you little scamp, shush. Na fesdoro ingisopo You hear what happen to them not in bed Catching fright out in the bush? pe wan kowru winti e wai bigi leba e kon komopo, asema e pir’ den ai. The cold and wind they not playing game Outside the front door; and who know Doi, doi, mi pikin gudu What jumbie dress up in rags...