ADYANKRO JOHN CROW
Poko yu poko Soar your soaring
a mindri deb worku amid the clouds
mi braka dyakti my dear black-jacket
dans' yu dripas-porka dance your three-step polka
a mindri aleysi-gron in the rice field
froyt' lek' busgranman cry like the master of the bush
a mindri den krasi wwri amid the nettle weeds
mi butabuta my dear whippoorwill
yu eksi a seypasi waktiman your eggs are sentinels along the road
kroypi a mindri tingi wallow in the stench
lek' skapuworon like the white haired caterpillar
mi braka koti my dear cutaway
srep' a mindri dedemeti skate through the carcasses
mi tingifowru-edeman my dear vulture king
waka a tap' tinkoko walk on your stilts
mek' kondre si for all the world to see
bigin ker' mek' I eygi nesi start learning to build your own nest
mi opete my dear opete
frey opo mindri a son  
; fly off toward the sun
bika yu na grandiyabru because you're the big eye-sore
wan adyankro f' Sranan an adyankro
of Sranan
*
MI DREN MY DREAM
Yere mi sten Heed my voice
lek' wan grio e bari sounding like a cicada
a baka den bigi krepiston from behind the boulders
mi ati e nak' te dede fu freed my heart beats to death from fear
m' e suk' wan kibri-olo I'm searching for a lov-
pe lobi de in' place to hide
m' e frey lek' wan sonfowru like a sunbird
mindri tranga winti in the storm
abra den moro hey bergi I'm flying across the highest mountains
sula e yere mi sten the rapids are hearing my plea
mi skin e degedege but my body is weakening
loktu wawan e si mi heaven alone knows
mindri banawtu my tribulations
mi kondre mi pedrekubon here on earth
mi nesi sometime in my dream
sonten dede sa tuka mi death and I will surely meet.
ini mi dren
Poems from 'Awese' copyright © by Johanna Schouten-Elsenhout Estate, Paramaribo, 1965
Copyright this English translation 'Awese: Light in This Everlasting Dark Moon' © by
D. France Olivieira, Paramaribo, Suriname, 2010
FARJOURNEY CARIBBEAN 