SOME POETRY TRANSLATED INTO PORTUGUESE

Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva é uma poeta ugandense, nascida em Kampala em 1976. Estreou com a coletânea Unjumping (2010), e tem poemas publicados nas revistas Drumvoices Review, Femrite, Kwani, Copperfield Review, Post Colonial Magazine, Kwani?, My Father's Head and Other Stories anthology, Wasafiri & Prairie Schooner, entre outras. Participou de festivais e simpósios como Storymoja Hay Festival (2012), African Women Writers' Symposium (Johannesburg, 2011), Uganda International Writers' Conference (Kampala, 2013), International Know How Conference e International Women's Day (Kampala, 2011), e fundou um prêmio que se dedica a incentivar a produção literária entre as mulheres de Uganda. Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva vive e estuda hoje na Inglaterra.

--- Ricardo Domeneck §

Por favor patrão

Por favor se é preciso Então não na mesa

Você é o patrão E merece o felpudo tapete persa

A mesa tem muito de mim Grampos dispersos Lixo rasgado Minutos decorados

Se é preciso Então não na mesa

(

tradução de Ricardo Domeneck)

:

Please Boss

Please if we must Then not on the desk

You're the boss You deserve the plush Persian carpet

The desk has too much of me Cluttered clips Torn trash Memorised minutes

If we must Then not on the desk

§

Praia de Nyali-Mombasa

Um turista pegou um salmão. O mar cuspiu sal em fúria.. As fotos digitais reduziram o salmão a estatística.

:

Nyali Beach-Mombasa

A tourist caught a salmon. The ocean spat out salt in fury. As digital photos reduced the salmon to a statistic.

. . .

Publicada por modo de usar & co. à(s) 13:29 Etiquetas: beverley nambozo nsengiyunva, poesia ugandense

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN BNPA 2009-2013 EVALUATION

Applicants are invited to participate in a full day Focus group discussion and evaluation entitled:

BN Poetry Award, 2009-2013.

aim of the evaluation is to assess the impact of the award since its inception in 2009, to analyse the strengths and challenges and create opportunities for the next 5 to 10 years. Successful candidates will be notified by mid-February. Facilitation will be provided.

Criteria:

• between 18 and 90 years of age by the time of submitting the application

• knowledgeable of BNPA

• time-conscious, creative and insightful

Interested applicants are invited to submit their C.V and a 200 -300 word brief essay on why they are most suitable. Kindly submit this to nambozo@gmail.com by 30 January 2014, midnight, Uganda Time.

Thank you. Nambozo Nsengiyunva.

Chapter 9-The seven selves by Khalil Gibran

N

Chapter 9 - The Seven Selves

In the stillest hour of the night, as I lay half asleep, my seven selves sat together and thus conversed in whisper:

First Self: Here, in this madman, I have dwelt all these years, with naught to do but renew his pain by day and recreate his sorrow by night. I can bear my fate no longer, and now I rebel.

Second Self: Yours is a better lot than mine, brother, for it is given to me to be this madman's joyous self. I laugh his laughter and sing his happy hours, and with thrice winged feet I dance his brighter thoughts. It is I that would rebel against my weary existence.

Third Self: And what of me, the love-ridden self, the flaming brand of wild passion and fantastic desires? It is I the love-sick self who would rebel against this madman.

Fourth Self: I, amongst you all, am the most miserable, for naught was given me but odious hatred and destructive loathing. It is I, the tempest-like self, the one born in the black caves of Hell, who would protest against serving this madman.

Fifth Self: Nay, it is I, the thinking self, the fanciful self, the self of hunger and thirst, the one doomed to wander without rest in search of unknown things and things not yet created; it is I, not you, who would rebel.

Sixth Self: And I, the working self, the pitiful labourer, who, with patient hands, and longing eyes, fashion the days into images and give the formless elements new and eternal forms-it is I, the solitary one, who would rebel against this restless madman.

Seventh Self: How strange that you all would rebel against this man, because each and every one of you has a preordained fate to fulfil. Ah! could I but be like one of you, a self with a determined lot! But I have none, I am the do-nothing self, the one who sits in the dumb, empty nowhere and nowhen, while you are busy re-creating life. Is it you or I, neighbours, who should rebel?

When the seventh self thus spake the other six selves looked with pity upon him but said nothing more; and as the night grew deeper one after the other went to sleep enfolded with a new and happy submission.

But the seventh self remained watching and gazing at nothingness, which is behind all things.

Khalil Gibran

Soon to be Slender, by BNN

I want to lose 20kg within a few months.

I am going to lose 20kg within a few months.

Last year, I began an intense exercise routine which was interrupted by natural frustration at the lack of evidence from the hard work and bouts of irregular motivation. For the past seven days from 26th December, I have engaged in a 1 hour daily workout. This includes episodes of Insanity season 2, brisk 30 min walks and kick-ass maximum interval home cardio and hip-hop, mixed with Zumba. It’s exhilarating.

There are people I meet who make boorish remarks about my weight. One of them is my grandfather’s former driver who in Luganda, loudly for all to hear, expressed his displeasure at my weight during what was otherwise an excellent New year’s Family Day. As a former Gayaza girl, I kept quiet and way-laid him as he parked cars of the various owners. I told him in no unabashed terms that my weight had nothing to do with him and there was no reason for him to be so discourteous since I’ve always been civil to him. He apologized, only because he was shocked at the reproach.

Other people who have transitioned from good friends to acquaintances, often jog my memory by reminding me how small I was ten years ago. I also jog their memory with stories of my two children and how women’s bodies undergo alterations after 35 years. Besides, if all factors were constant and the x- axis of low weight transformed with the y- axis of gorgeousness, they should be riding high in the looks department. Those factors are never constant.

I have more endurance than many people who are 30 kg lighter than I am and this is because I have been exercising for a year now. Combined with juices, consistence and overdoses of spiritual food, I’m well on my way this year to my 20kg weight loss. Thanks to my Super Budz fitness group, Lamwaka, Ibrahim, Twongyeiyerwe, Tabaro, Nsengiyunva, Nakayenga, Grace and a few others who lift me up constantly in this tedious yet fulfilling ride.

Happy New Year.

By Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva

SUBMIT FOR BNPA 2014 AND WIN 1,000 US DOLLARS

The Judges: Joanne Arnott, Kgafela oa Magogodi and Richard Ali BN POETRY AWARD 2014

THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE 1,000 US DOLLARS Submissions to be received from January 6th to May 5th 2014 midday, East African Time. Guidelines for submissions:

• It is open to ALL African poets who will not have published a full-length collection of poetry by May 2014

• Submissions should be original, in English and not more than 40 lines. Times New Roman or Arial, single-spaced and size 12. Local languages are accepted only if English translations are sent alongside them

• Send a maximum of three poems and a minimum of one poem to bnpoetryaward@mail.com as a word attachment. DO NOT include your name or contact details on the poem itself

• The subject line should read, “BNPA 2014”

• Include your name, email address, country or birth and country of permanent residence, telephone number and the titles of your poems in the body of the email

• The submissions will be accepted from January 6th to May 5th 2014

• More details on the face book page, Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation, on the blog http://bnpoetryaward.blogspot.com and website www.bnpoetryaward.co.ug

The judges Kgafela oa Magogodi: South African poet, director and musician. He is currently completing a co-writing project for a musical stage play, The Book Of REBELATIONS . Published books include Thy Condom Come (2000) and Outspoken (2004).

Joanne Arnott: Award-winning Canadian poet and writer. Her first book of poetry, Wiles of Girlhood (1991) won the League of Canadian Poets’ Gerald Lampert Award for best first book of poetry (1992). Her newest publication of poetry is, A Night for the Lady (Ronsdale, fall 2013)

Richard Ali: Author of City of Memories, Chief Operations Officer of Parrésia Publishers Ltd and Publicity Secretary [North] of Association of Nigerian Authors. Richard is also Editor-in-Chief of the Sentinel Nigeria Magazine and was a runner-up at the 2008 John la Rose Short Story Competition.

A Face Like Mine, second place BN Poetry Award 2013

A face like mine

I lie in a hospital bed No name to my face Abandoned babe, Small and skinny, Disease infested Death knocking- You stop Stare Move on. But I doubt you’ll forget a face like mine.

I sit at a busy street; Six year old beggar, Runny nose, Lice infested, Swollen belly, Hunger biting- You stare Walk by. But I doubt you’ll forget a face like mine.

I stand at the roadside; Twelve years I’ll make tonight, Too small my clothes, Skinny body, freezing cold Eyes popping n all, Scared of the male prowlers You walk by- Pity and jeer. But I doubt you’ll forget a face like mine.

I squat in a seemingly abandoned toilet; Eighteen years last week, Metallic hunger down myself, Little foetus bleeding out- You see me, Call the police, Not the doctors! Gang up Beat me. But I doubt you’ll forget a face like mine.

I sit outside my slum; Twenty four years old last month, A limp in my walk, Broken bones n scars, Our kids’ hiding- He’s back home, Their father! You whisper, Point fingers But I doubt you’ll forget a face like mine.

I am running away now; Thirty two years old two months ago My children with me Nowhere to go But am leaving The streets my friend… You despise me, Family wrecker, But I am leaving- And I doubt you’ll ever forget a face like mine.

I am lying on my death bed; Forty five years of age last November, My face too old for my age My body too frail to fathom My grandchildren- The few that approach me They love me! It’s all that matters. I am dying content I made peace with my God And now- you may forget a face like mine.

Pamela Orogot This poem emerged second in the 5th BN Poetry Award

Fragrance, poem by Regina Asinde, second place, BN Poetry Award 2010

FRAGRANCE

It’s the fragrance, mother; the intoxicating crispy fragrance of colored newly mint coinage. Sometimes the shimmering glitter of gold or silver. It matters not mother what figures are imprinted on, just the fragrance!

The fragrance that drives me to plunder my core, to pillage my country to nothing, squandering it to desolation.

The fragrance that possesses me to bare my nakedness to them, to vend my soul’s worth, to trade my country’s worth!

The fragrance that devours me and sparks hunger pangs, coercing me to crave and covet theirs staining my hands with blood !

It’s the fragrance mother; the musky musty odor of old and used notes, sometimes the dull hue of coinage that quenches my thirst and ardor!

It matters not mother what figures are imprinted on Just the fragrance mother! Just the fragrance.

Regina Asinde This poem emerged second in the 2010 BN Poetry Award