THE SOUND OF POETRY

This poetry comp is all about the enchantingly poetic sounds of words when spoken in a language that is foreign to our ears.

I want you to write a new poem or translate an old poem [maximum of 350 words] into another language, in either your native tongue, second or third language or english dialect [slang].  

You'll then need to record a reading of your poem spoken in your [foreign] language that it's written or translated, upload the recording onto Youtube and post a link to the spoken word poem in this thread, along with the words to the non-english version of your poem.

You're not to post the translated english version of your poem until after the winner of the comp has been announced.  The main focus is the sound of poetry.

It's one entry per poet, so you've only got one shot to blow people's minds.  I also ask you to respect each other and the comp and refrain from any banter and personal vendettas... and don't take it personal, but please consider the environment... this is not a slam poetry competition.

https://youtu.be/I9VV7RreqnA


ILAKKIYATHTHOOTHU



Koothu #1: Tirikonathaandavam  [Koram>> Aanandham>> Maayam]

Oomai Idazhkazhlin maruthppona uzhnaakil
azhagaai nilaikuzhaikindrathu kadunthuvarppaai
ezhumbi, thatham thangida neezhneram
nerathuligal athilul
ilamminnalai puyalaai paaichalaai
imaiyin siru siragaai mellisaipaadalaai
oodalaai ennil ennaai ondril ondraai
muzhunilavaai nee thithikindraai

Orr anu ezhaiyum maruppindri
aazhuyir rasavaasanaiyaai ulle vaa

Theeppilambuin vaayurantha seetram, iththaagathai
en ottrai suriyanaai kathir veechai uzhzhizhuthu thanikka vaa

Amirthakkalavaiyaam nam inampuriyaatha naakalavi
ethirum puthirumaai suzhandru idampeyarppadhum sariyo?



Koothu #2 alla #~(mudivili) : Motcha Mudivili

Deivakkatchiyaai arulinaai
en swaasam surungum munn
suraavalikkkaatru veliyidai vazhkaiyil
sillendra melliya thendral kattrai veesukiraai
meni sithaikindra vegathil uyir oosalaadum osaiyil
un kolangal maayamaginaal aabvi theziyumo
verum anda vetridamo
un kailaasa karuneelakkoonthal


Oomai Idazhkazhlin maruthppona uzhnaakil
azhagaai nilaikuzhaikindrathu kadunthuvarppaai
ezhumbi, thatham thangida neezhneram
nerathuligal athilul
ilamminnalai puyalaai paaichalaai
imaiyin siru siragaai mellisaipaadalaai
oodalaai ennil ennaai ondril ondraai
muzhunilavaai nee thithikindraai


Aazhuyir rasavaasayaai thanguthadaiyindri ulle kalanthidu
un ovvoru nunniya anu ezhaithuvaraththin muzhu isaivodu

En theevira sooriya (Thaagath/ Yaagath] thai
theeppilmabaai [Thanikka/ Valarthida] vaa

so klink my gedagtes in n tweede taal

https://youtu.be/EeYXzbxKyfQ

ek verniel myself vir jou vlees,
verkoop my moordkuil hart
vir net nog n nag met
jou roetbevlekte vingerafrdukke
in die vou van my heupe~
... met wierook en swael
{ongodeloos en bekend}
op jou gesplete tong,
lek jy roes en beloftes
van my mondhoeke...
ek aanbid jou onhuil,
naamloos en naakt
wedergebore
in jou sonde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adj6JJjqgYc&feature=youtu.be

Ist Zu Singen

Sie sagen, dass Deutsch der ton ist
von vokalen, die auf dem boden zerbrechen
aber vielleicht ist Rainer's zunge angebetet
anstatt missverstanden und verabscheut

Es ist die sprache der geister von Hitler
von tausend Nazi-sieg-toast
aber was ist unter all der macht
ein mann war einfach eine blume zu beschreiben?

Oder tausend bäume unter dem himmel
oder der blick eines neugeborenen augen-zu-auge,
ich finde dort kann nicht so viel angst sein
In der ich-liebe-du bist das ich manchmal höre

also bitte nicht ignorieren
die spuckenden vokale so hart ausgesprochen,
denn ich kann Rilke's muttersprache nicht hassen
wenn seine poesie geliebt werden soll

ist zu singen

Earth_Child and Miss_Sub, thank you for honouring the walls of this comp with your very excellent entries.

Uma, I look forward to hearing your poem too

Thank you, Uma and AEMelia564 for your excellent entries.

I look forward to hearing more sweet sounds of poetry... I'd especially like to hear some men reading the sounds of their manly poetry.

I'm totally down with men reading the sounds of their feminine poetry...









or women who want to read manly sounding poetry.

I would enter your comp, but I can only speak English, even though I am Welsh.  Shame on me.

Surely the welsh have a dialect of drunken slang that is completely incompressible... 🤔

As in "Ach a fi! Mae fy hofrenfad yn llawn llyswennod"  It's the kinda thing us Welsh find happens a lot.  :D

(Malay)
Cinta Ku

cinta ku
ibarat mentari bersinar pagi
tidak pernah mungkir janji
setiap hari akan terbit

cinta ku
bukan setakat kata-kata
ia adalah sumpah
untuk setia ke akhir zaman

andaikata esok
aku menghembuskan nafas terakhir
kenangkan daku dalam doamu
cinta ku akan kekal hingga ke sana.

Congratulations to Uma, Katja and Missy, all three of you made this a very challenging decision, but Uma has just snuck away with the virtual accolade.  

Thank you also AEMelia and Grace for your entries.

I'd like all the poets to now post the translated version of your poems on this thread to reveal the meaning of the sounds that tantalised our ears.

Thank you all once again for your amazing poems and readings.

Congratulations, Uma! I want to feature this on our facebook page!

(Translation of Ist zu Singen)


They say that German is the sound
of vowels shattering on the ground
but maybe Rainer's tongue is to be adored
rather than misunderstood and abhorred

It is the language of Hitler's ghosts
of a thousand Nazi victory toasts
but what if underneath all the power
a man was simply to describe a flower?

or a thousand trees underneath the sky
or the gaze of a newborn eye-to-eye,
I find there cannot be so much fear
in the I-love-you's that I sometimes hear

so please do not disregard
the spitting vowels pronounced so hard,
for I cannot hate Rilke's mother tongue
when his poetry is to be loved

is to be sung.