In-sich-gehen
Meine Ziege sind geschachtet
auf dem Feur getrocknet
verseist
in langen Winterabenden
Meine Pfohlen ist Pferd geworden
jeden Tag lasten getragen
gemezget für
Italiener
verspeist in Trieste
Meine Geburtshaus ist zussamengebrochen
hufen graue Steine
In namenlossem Dorf
in Dalmatien
Meine Oma schlefft
dritte reihe links
unten Zweigen und Rabenstock
neben Opa und
Ihren sieben frü
ausgehungerten Kindern.
Meine Schultasche ist
verloren mit inhalt in
Serbocroatische sprache
bedoutunsgloss.
Translations of this Poem
Self-exploration
Translator: Christopher Whyte
My goats have been slaughtered
smoked above the fire
eaten
on long winter evenings
My foal became a horse
carries loads every day
butchered for
Italians
eaten in Trieste
The house where I was born has fallen apart
heaped up grey stones
in a nameless village
in Dalmatia
My granny sleeps
third row on the left
amongst goats and vines
next to Grandad and
the seven children
dead from hunger.
I lost my schoolbag with
its Serbo-Croatian books
who cares.
2002
About this poem
M/Other Tongues, a poetry event which took place at the Scottish Poetry Library from 28 February to 2 March 2002, brought to Scotland two poets writing in German although it is not their mother tongue: Adel Karascholi from Syria, who has lived in Leipzig since the early ’60s, and Dragica Rajčić from Croatia, who has lived in Switzerland since the outbreak of war in the former Yugoslavia.
They were paired with two Scottish poets who have also lived between two languages and/or cultures: Suhayl Saadi of Pakistani/Afghani descent who lives in Glasgow, and Christopher Whyte, of Irish descent, who writes in Scottish Gaelic and lives in Edinburgh.
