International Leonard Peltier day

Leonard Peltier wrote for this occasion:

Greetings to my relations, my friends, and to my many supporters the world over.

It is that time again. Another year has passed, and on February 6th I will be marking 36 years since my arrest. During all this time, my family and allies have discovered just how far the government will go to wrongfully convict and imprison someone they know is innocent. They do this as a message— first to Indians, and further to anyone who might stand up to injustice—as if to say, “We will do as we please”.

From the day of my arrest until now, through you my supporters, I have been honored with many activist and humanitarian awards. I thank you for keeping awareness of me and my case alive. Your commitment has really been a special experience for me.

In addition many celebrities, political figures, and organizations have called for my release, including 55 members of Congress. This last November, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) passed a permanent resolution calling for my release. Well let’s hope its not that permanent. The NCAI has committed to being directly involved with my case so that the message from Washington to Indian people does not remain, “We will do as we please”.

Still, despite all this attention and with all the leaders and people of conscience calling for my release, I have been kept in this iron cage. They have even kept me longer than their own laws say they can. With evidence corroborating that I did not receive a fair trial, with proof of government misconduct, with admissions by government officials that they do not know who killed those two agents that day at the Jumping Bull property, here I sit. “We will do as we please.”

Recently, as many of you know, an act was passed and signed into law that allows for indefinite detention of American citizens without charge or trial. This is perhaps the final straw, the final nail in the coffin of American freedom, the end of habeas corpus and due process. “We will do as we please.”

We Indians said it for generations: If they can kill us indiscriminately, they will do it to anyone. If they can take our land, they will do it to anyone. If they can kidnap our children and take them to prison schools, they will do it to anyone. If they can starve us and lie to us, they will do it to anyone. If they can wrongfully imprison us, they will do it to anyone. Now, sadly, this is another Indian prophecy fulfilled. “We will do as we please.”

Our ancestors and tribal people all over the world prophesized a time of upheaval and great change. I believe that time is fast approaching. I believe a part of this is the government’s ongoing overreach of its authority—until the people rise up and tell Washington, “You will NOT do as you please! We are NOT your slaves! We will NOT be subjugated! We will NOT be ruled by an iron fist! We will NOT allow you to steal our liberty or our justice!"

My friends, my relatives, my supporters—Be a part of this latest, perhaps the last "Indian uprising". Make your voice heard! Be a part of the brave Movement to come, the Movement that will change the course of human history. Make change and hope and peace and justice a part of your personal legacy. Be the change that you envision and know in your heart must take place.

Do this, and on the day you take your last breath and prepare to meet Creator, you will know your life on this Earth was well spent. Close your eyes knowing you used your breath and energy to Creator’s good purpose. Smile as you cross over knowing you changed the world so that the next seven generations can know a good life. Do these things and know that I am with you.  I will embrace you as my relations—in this life or the next.

Mitakuye Oyasin.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
Leonard Peltier

Job Degenaar II - Ich bin- I am

Ich bin is the poem that gave the title to the Job's new book in Dutch, German and English. Job is the president of the Dutch writers in prison committee of PEN-The Netherlands. Just as is the case for PEN-Flanders, there is often cooperation with Amnesty.

Ich bin

Zwaar van bloesem buigt vanavond

de oude appelboom

 

en zij daar, satijnen engel

althans vanuit m'n auto

 

detonerend in de leegte

haalt haar wasgoed van de lijn

 

Ook op de radio komt ze door

'von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt'

 

Even scheurt de grond -

Berlin dreißiger Jahre

 

und überall

Wege zum Gluck -

 

Het huis herzien, de boom geveld

de polder bijna ingevuld

 

de weg is recht, m'n leven krom

ik kijk nog altijd even om

 

*

Ich bin

 

Blossom heavy bows tonight
the old apple tree

and she there, satin angel

at least from my car

incongruent in the emptiness

takes the laundry off the line

Also on the radio she comes through

von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt, from head to toe attuned to love

Briefly earth tears –

Berlin Dreißiger Jahre, Berlin in the thirties    

und überall, and everywhere

Wege zum Glück - roads to happiness

Revisited the house, the tree felled

the polder almost filled

the road is straight, my life off track

so far, I still glance back

 

 

 

 

 

Bookpresentations I

During the week around Unesco's World Poetry Day, March 21 world internet books will be presenting several books and turn a day into more than a week. The first author to be presented is Job Degenaar, Dutch poet with a trilingual book Ich bin-I am on March 17, at salon12b. Producer of the book is Fred Schywek, also responsible or the German translation and Annmarie Sauer translated the Dutch original in English and kept Translation notes by Ich bin - I am

The first Korrekturlesen/proofreading  of some poems by Job Degenaar in their German version and some in English was on February 25, 2011. The concept was to publish a trilingual book by Job Degenaar: Ich bin. It is interesting to reflect upon the different 'poetry cultures' in the three language areas involved. The reading of the Dutch poetry is usually sober, straightforward- unless the poet considers himself a performance artist. In that case all is possible. In Germany, a poetry lover expects to understand what is read. Readers and listeners differentiate between silent (stille Gedichte) and loud poetry, (laute Gedichte). The silent poetry gains by being read, the loud poetry by being heard. This is an element to consider in the translation of poetry into German. A repetition, an extra word might be needed to turn the translation into a good poem in the target language. In my feeling about the English version, it might be actually the other way around. The English translation might well be a touch shorter, compacter... I enjoyed this first tri-lingual reading. 

Achtung Hochspannung is the title of a poem in Dutch with German quotes in the text. This constitutes no problem in Dutch since both languages are rather close relatives. Translating such a poem into English is however not as straightforward as it may seem. American and British readers would probably not understand the German quote Abfall ist unser Fall or even the title of the poem. The Dutch poet however choose to introduce this foreign element in his poetry, albeit in a gentle way. In English I would not want to loose the exotic element, yet it would be far harsher if I just kept the German without mediating this for the reader. In  another poem Ich bin I have opted to place the English translation as kind of an echo of the German quotes, just next to each other. This kind of option disturbs slightly the visual of a poem when printed side by side and the choice to try to be loyalty to the verse. I am looking for an interesting, playful ways in problem solving, ways readers can enjoy. 


for further information: fourthandplum@gmail.com

poetry day in den Hopsack

 Eight poets were invited to read in den Hopsack by Frank De Vos, master of ceremony for the evening. Some people I knew well and their work, like Roger Nupie with serious poetry, poetry inspired by spirituals- rather chilling what he did with those in word and performance and lighthearted verse.

Here Frank listening attentively after having read a poem by the Burmese poet Zargana, recently released from a 39 year prison sentence for helping  the people after the flood when the government  did nothing to alleviate their suffering. Luckily he didn't have to do the full time. Also other poets were released, so maybe there is hope at the horizon...

 Poets are not overly romantic souls who don't ware about the fate of the world. So at the end the words were spoken: Overigens ben ik van mening  dat de NAVO afgeschaft moet worden, in English: Furthermore I am of the opinion that NATO has to be abolished.

Here the next picture is German poet Fred Schywek, an excellent performer with great poetry, the translations in Dutch were read by Annmarie Sauer who also performed.

Maris Bayar in frivolous reds, read about  the sea, her fascination and love for it shone through

José Meyvis was the most playful poet even doing a Mahler concerto on her own on stage and perverting a recipe to a poem...

Also Richard Foqué, who writes in Dutch and English, and Erik Vandenwijngaerden did well Richard with some poems from Late Landscape and Erik with U-gedichten: You-poems.

Thank you all people from den Hopsack, always a nice crowd and good audience.

© sms:foto duisburg/rhein 2012

A date on a sunny day

It was a nice bright day notwithstanding the threatening cloud over town, coming straight from the direction of the nuclear plant which most people here in the country think should be closed.I decided to take a walk and went to a small park I had often passed in the car, but never had walked it. It was lovely, with an adventure playground for children, an experience garden where without having to stoop one can feel and smell the kitchen and healing herbs. There is even a start of a wood-wall where all kind of critters can survive the winter. A little note explains, asking not to carry of the old wood. Once done, it will be a nice feature.

The big tree here is totally entwined in ivy. This is a parasitic relationship which can  kill the big tree, It looks lovely however, yet I'll remind not to be clinging towards other people.

The tree stump covered in fungus and mushrooms. It made me realize the beauty of decay.

So my expedition was fruitful, I took the time to be and see, to notice, to enjoy. So, go out, enjoy the glorious light and listen to the birds.

ANC: 100 years

Today 100 years ago the African National Congress saw the light. Today the festivities take place for 100 years of selfless struggle. As an interpreter I have been once or twice the voice of Nelson Mandela after he was released from Robben Island. When South Africa was freed from Apartheid, it became member of the ACP and had at their first attendance the meeting in Cape Town and were given a most moving and enlightening tour of Robben Island by a former prisoner who became a minister in the first Mandela government. It was non-violence which won freedom. was one of his messages and that the embargo gave support to the resistance because even when suffering they knew it was  because people supported their struggle. At the opening of the ACP Meeting the African Anthem was played, well known by all who had worked for the abolishment of Apartheid and this is what I saw:

Sikeleli Africa

At the first notes

just two white people jumped up

one with his left fist in the air

she with her hand on

her heart

All peoples standing

the light skinned

rose

a few notes later –

The huge hall filled with

respect

I like to think

the white people were

slow

not recognizing the music in their

soul

or just older and stiffer and

slower

I like to think

Nkosi Sikeleli Africa

is the hope that touches us

all -           

 

Traditions of transitions

The winter blues chased away by a town in festive mood. Then having the blues can mean something different.
People mill around for a charity concert and visit the Christmas market.

 The traditional fireworks were different: the private fuses at least as impressive as the official city fireworks.  All around town the colorful flashes lit up and looked nice. At lot of noise was made to chase the bad spirits away and to hail in the New Year.

May your year be colorful and creative, bring peace and happiness to all of you. Let's practice ahimsa in word and deed.
Namaste.