Poetry: René Depestre - Atibon-Legba, Painter: Domo Parizot - Legba Atibon
Posted by Ricardo Marcenaro | Posted in Painter: Domo Parizot - Legba Atibon , Poetry: René Depestre - Atibon-Legba | Posted on 4:39
Legba Atibon by Domo Parizot
http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk
René Depestre
Atibon-Legba
I am Atibon-Legba.
My hat comes from Africa,
just as my bamboo cane,
just as my ancient grief,
just as my old bones.
I am the patron saint
of door-keepers and lift-boys.
I am Legba-Bois, Legba-Cayes.
I am Legba-Signangnon
and his seven Kataroulo brothers.
I am Legba-Kataroulo.
Tonight I plant my reposoir,
the great medicine-tree of my soul,
in the White man’s land,
at the crossing of his ways.
I kiss his door three times;
I kiss his eyes three times.
I am Alegba-Papa,
the god of your doors.
Tonight it is I,
the master of your trails
and of your White man’s crossroads,
I the protector of the ants
and plants of your house.
I am chief of the gates
of the human mind and body.
I come covered in dust.
I am the great Black ancestor.
I see, I hear what goes on
on paths and roadways.
Your White man’s hearts and gardens
hold hardly any secrets from me.
I come all worn out from my travels,
and I hurl my great age
on the floors where your White man’s
betrayals crawl.
O you Alabama judge,
I see in your hands neither pitcher
of water nor black candle.
I do not see my vèvè drawn
on the floor of the house.
Where is the good white flour?
Where are my cardinal points?
My ancient bones arrive at your home,
O judge, and they see no bagui
in which to deposit their sorrows.
They see white cocks.
They see white hens.
Judge, where are our spices?
Where is the salt and the hot pepper?
Where is the ground-nut oil?
Where is the roasted corn?
Where are our stars of rum?
Where are my rada and my mahi?
Where is my yanvalou?
To hell with your tasteless dishes.
To hell with white wine.
To hell with apple and pear.
To hell with all your lies.
I want yams for my hunger,
malangas and pumpkins,
bananas and sweet potatoes.
To hell with your waltzes and tangos.
The ancient hunger of my legs
calls for a crabignan-Legba.
The ancient thirst of my bones
calls for robust, manly steps.
I am Papa-Legba.
I am Legba-Clairondé.
I am Legba-Sé.
I am Alegba-Si.
I draw from their scabbard
my seven Kataroulo brothers,
and I change my terracotta pipe
into a sword,
and I change my bamboo cane
into a sword,
and I change my large African hat
into a sword,
and I change the trunk
of my medicine-tree into a sword,
and I change my blood
you have spilt into a sword.
O judge, here is a sword
for each door of the house,
a sword for each head.
Here are the twelve apostles of my faith,
my twelve Kataroulo swords,
the twelve Legbas of my bones,
and not one will betray my blood.
There is no Judas in my body.
Judge, there is a single old man
who watches over the way of men.
There is a single old fighting-cock,
O judge, who hurls into your path
the great red wings of his truth.
Note
The title ‘Atibon-Legba’ is the name of a lwa or divinity of Haitian vodoû, a religion which derives in large part from the Fon of Benin. The Fon in turn are historically indebted to the Yoruba: the name ‘Legba’ originates from the Yoruba ‘Elegbara’. This poem belongs to a dramatic sequence in which a White American judge and his family are confronted by an epiphany of lwa. Names with hyphens which include the element ‘Legba’ are aspects of the same divinity. In vodoû, each principal divinity has a family of manifestations which sometimes function as separate entities. The Kataroulo brothers are aspects of Legba-Kataroulo. The reposoir is a tree which serves as a shrine for a lwa. Each lwa has his or her favourite tree: the reposoir of Legba is the ‘medicine-tree’ (tatropha curcas). A vèvè is a ritual diagram, usually drawn with flour on the ground, which represents (and summons) a lwa; the bagui is the sanctuary of a vodoû temple. Rada and mahi are rites – the names derive from African place-names; the yanvalou and crabignan- Legba are ritual dances.
Mark Angelo de Brito was born in London in 1963, and studied at the Guildhall School of Music. He has published one book of original verse, Bigistong (Darengo: London 1996), a poetic history of the West Indies. The present translations belong to an anthology (in progress) entitled "The Trickster's Tongue", which brings together material from several languages by both continental and diasporic Africans. Mark de Brito is coeditor of the journal Seshat: cross-cultural perspectives in poetry and philosophy. Current projects include an extended poem under the title ‘Heron’s canoe’.
poetrymagazine's note:
1) Léopold Sédar Senghor is now dead. His dates are: 1906-2001.
2) My published books of original poetry are: Bigistong (Darengo: London 1996), and Heron's Canoe (Peepal Tree: Leeds 2003).
The translations which appear in MPT 16 have been revised and collected in an anthology of my translations entitled The Trickster's Tongue: An anthology of poetry in translation from Africa and the African diaspora, with introduction, commentary and bibliography (Peepal Tree: Leeds, forthcoming November 2004).
The author's name appearing the latter two books is 'Mark de Brito'
Translated by M. A. de Brito
René Depestre
Atibon-Legba
I am Atibon-Legba.
My hat comes from Africa,
just as my bamboo cane,
just as my ancient grief,
just as my old bones.
I am the patron saint
of door-keepers and lift-boys.
I am Legba-Bois, Legba-Cayes.
I am Legba-Signangnon
and his seven Kataroulo brothers.
I am Legba-Kataroulo.
Tonight I plant my reposoir,
the great medicine-tree of my soul,
in the White man’s land,
at the crossing of his ways.
I kiss his door three times;
I kiss his eyes three times.
I am Alegba-Papa,
the god of your doors.
Tonight it is I,
the master of your trails
and of your White man’s crossroads,
I the protector of the ants
and plants of your house.
I am chief of the gates
of the human mind and body.
I come covered in dust.
I am the great Black ancestor.
I see, I hear what goes on
on paths and roadways.
Your White man’s hearts and gardens
hold hardly any secrets from me.
I come all worn out from my travels,
and I hurl my great age
on the floors where your White man’s
betrayals crawl.
O you Alabama judge,
I see in your hands neither pitcher
of water nor black candle.
I do not see my vèvè drawn
on the floor of the house.
Where is the good white flour?
Where are my cardinal points?
My ancient bones arrive at your home,
O judge, and they see no bagui
in which to deposit their sorrows.
They see white cocks.
They see white hens.
Judge, where are our spices?
Where is the salt and the hot pepper?
Where is the ground-nut oil?
Where is the roasted corn?
Where are our stars of rum?
Where are my rada and my mahi?
Where is my yanvalou?
To hell with your tasteless dishes.
To hell with white wine.
To hell with apple and pear.
To hell with all your lies.
I want yams for my hunger,
malangas and pumpkins,
bananas and sweet potatoes.
To hell with your waltzes and tangos.
The ancient hunger of my legs
calls for a crabignan-Legba.
The ancient thirst of my bones
calls for robust, manly steps.
I am Papa-Legba.
I am Legba-Clairondé.
I am Legba-Sé.
I am Alegba-Si.
I draw from their scabbard
my seven Kataroulo brothers,
and I change my terracotta pipe
into a sword,
and I change my bamboo cane
into a sword,
and I change my large African hat
into a sword,
and I change the trunk
of my medicine-tree into a sword,
and I change my blood
you have spilt into a sword.
O judge, here is a sword
for each door of the house,
a sword for each head.
Here are the twelve apostles of my faith,
my twelve Kataroulo swords,
the twelve Legbas of my bones,
and not one will betray my blood.
There is no Judas in my body.
Judge, there is a single old man
who watches over the way of men.
There is a single old fighting-cock,
O judge, who hurls into your path
the great red wings of his truth.
Note
The title ‘Atibon-Legba’ is the name of a lwa or divinity of Haitian vodoû, a religion which derives in large part from the Fon of Benin. The Fon in turn are historically indebted to the Yoruba: the name ‘Legba’ originates from the Yoruba ‘Elegbara’. This poem belongs to a dramatic sequence in which a White American judge and his family are confronted by an epiphany of lwa. Names with hyphens which include the element ‘Legba’ are aspects of the same divinity. In vodoû, each principal divinity has a family of manifestations which sometimes function as separate entities. The Kataroulo brothers are aspects of Legba-Kataroulo. The reposoir is a tree which serves as a shrine for a lwa. Each lwa has his or her favourite tree: the reposoir of Legba is the ‘medicine-tree’ (tatropha curcas). A vèvè is a ritual diagram, usually drawn with flour on the ground, which represents (and summons) a lwa; the bagui is the sanctuary of a vodoû temple. Rada and mahi are rites – the names derive from African place-names; the yanvalou and crabignan- Legba are ritual dances.
Mark Angelo de Brito was born in London in 1963, and studied at the Guildhall School of Music. He has published one book of original verse, Bigistong (Darengo: London 1996), a poetic history of the West Indies. The present translations belong to an anthology (in progress) entitled "The Trickster's Tongue", which brings together material from several languages by both continental and diasporic Africans. Mark de Brito is coeditor of the journal Seshat: cross-cultural perspectives in poetry and philosophy. Current projects include an extended poem under the title ‘Heron’s canoe’.
poetrymagazine's note:
1) Léopold Sédar Senghor is now dead. His dates are: 1906-2001.
2) My published books of original poetry are: Bigistong (Darengo: London 1996), and Heron's Canoe (Peepal Tree: Leeds 2003).
The translations which appear in MPT 16 have been revised and collected in an anthology of my translations entitled The Trickster's Tongue: An anthology of poetry in translation from Africa and the African diaspora, with introduction, commentary and bibliography (Peepal Tree: Leeds, forthcoming November 2004).
The author's name appearing the latter two books is 'Mark de Brito'
Translated by M. A. de Brito
Ricardo Marcenaro
Sculptures – Esculturas
http://ricardomarcenaro.ning.com/
Ricardo M Marcenaro - Facebook
Blogs in operation of The Solitary Dog:
Solitary Dog Sculptor:
http://byricardomarcenaro.blogspot.com
Solitary Dog Sculptor I:
http://byricardomarcenaroi.blogspot.com
Para:
comunicarse conmigo,
enviar materiales para publicar,
propuestas comerciales:
marcenaroescultor@gmail.com
For:
contact me,
submit materials for publication,
commercial proposals:
marcenaroescultor@gmail.com
Diario La Nación
Argentina
Cuenta Comentarista en el Foro:
Capiscum
My blogs are an open house to all cultures, religions and countries. Be a follower if you like it, with this action you are building a new culture of tolerance, open mind and heart for peace, love and human respect.
Thanks :)
Mis blogs son una casa abierta a todas las culturas, religiones y países. Se un seguidor si quieres, con esta acción usted está construyendo una nueva cultura de la tolerancia, la mente y el corazón abiertos para la paz, el amor y el respeto humano.
Gracias :)
Sculptures – Esculturas
http://ricardomarcenaro.ning.com/
Ricardo M Marcenaro - Facebook
Blogs in operation of The Solitary Dog:
Solitary Dog Sculptor:
http://byricardomarcenaro.blogspot.com
Solitary Dog Sculptor I:
http://byricardomarcenaroi.blogspot.com
Para:
comunicarse conmigo,
enviar materiales para publicar,
propuestas comerciales:
marcenaroescultor@gmail.com
For:
contact me,
submit materials for publication,
commercial proposals:
marcenaroescultor@gmail.com
Diario La Nación
Argentina
Cuenta Comentarista en el Foro:
Capiscum
My blogs are an open house to all cultures, religions and countries. Be a follower if you like it, with this action you are building a new culture of tolerance, open mind and heart for peace, love and human respect.
Thanks :)
Mis blogs son una casa abierta a todas las culturas, religiones y países. Se un seguidor si quieres, con esta acción usted está construyendo una nueva cultura de la tolerancia, la mente y el corazón abiertos para la paz, el amor y el respeto humano.
Gracias :)
Comments (0)
Publicar un comentario