Four Poems by Khal Torabully

[I will load the conchs]

I will load the conchs
onto the backs of swans.
And almighty light
I will sort your signs
as if black lentils, without
defacing the manuscript signed
by the waves.

[Je chargerai les conques]

Je chargerai les conques
sur le dos des cygnes
Et dominante lumière
je trierai tes signes
comme des lentilles noires
sans violer le manuscrit des vagues.

[Dazed]

Dazed
a coolie
splashed an array
of color on hatchways.
With a dab of his blood
without a bruise
the silent Scribe
plumbed his head into the azure.

[Abasourdi]

Abasourdi
un coolie
bariola
les écoutilles
Par sa noix de sang
sans blessure
le Scribe silencieux
plomba sa tête dans l’azur.

[My muddy future]

My muddy future is fully abulic:
soursop sops my flat-ribbed coast.
You are wrong, abolished by flesh,
your creeks crack when cutters approach:
tour abolie, tour à Bali
my backbone of kelp is the checkmate of masts.
Soursop sops my flat-ribbed coast.

Translator’s note: The pronunciation of “tour abolie” (abolished tower) is a near homophony for “Torabully,” as is “tour à Bali” (Bali tower).

[Mon sort boueux]

Mon sort boueux est tout aboulique
clapote sapote ma côte plate.
Tu as tort, aboli par chair,
tes criques craquent à l’approche des cotres:
tour abolie tour à Bali
ma colonne varech est l’échec des mâts.
Clapote sapote ma côte plate.

[Masters’ mighty prod]

     for J. G.  Prosper

Masters’ mighty prod
look away toward the window.
Womb missing from manifest.
Mauritius
the woman is a virgin.
Mauritius
my wife is a valve
Mauritius
my wife is a vulva,
Mauritius,
my wife is invulnerable.
To free my hands
to handle the sugars,
heave-ho
my tracks strike back
heave-ho
my registered
rod.
My wife is a valve
my wife is a vulva
my wife is valid.
My daughter is vague
my daughter is vulnerary
my daughter is like a womb,
heave-ho
to free my hands
heave-ho
to handle the sugars
Mauritius
to suck on my hands.

[Matraque des maîtres]

                        à J. G. Prosper

Matraque des maîtres
détourne les yeux vers la fenêtre.
Matrice sans matricule
Maurice
la femme est vierge.
Maurice
Ma femme est valve
Maurice
ma femme est vulve,
Maurice,
ma femme est invulnérable.
Pour libérer les bras
pour brasser les sucres,
Ho hisse
ma trace matraque
ho hisse
ma trique
matricule.
Ma femme est valve
ma femme est vulve
ma femme est valide.
Ma  fille est  vague,
ma fille est vulnéraire
ma fille est matricielle,
ho hisse
pour libérer les bras
ho hisse
pour brasser les sucres
Maurice
pour sucer mes bras.