Sleep! and the world marches, o mysterious land.
Sleep! and the world spins, the world goes on...
The progress is moving on the top of a hemisphere
And you sleep in another your infinite sleep...
The jungle makes of you a sinister hermitage,
where alone, at night, the beast roars...
Time throws to your face a strange insult
And you, ignore time, o Africa, continue to sleep...
Awake. In the sky crows already soar
Anxious to land and drink slowly
Your blood still hot, of somnambular flesh...
Awake. Your sleep has been longer than the fields...
Hear the Voice of your Progress, this other Nazarene
Which the hand to you extends and tells you: - Africa, surge et ambula!
As the Poet 'shakes' this world and shouts
for you to wake up it is because still:
...in the sky crows already soar
Anxious to land and drink slowly
Your blood still hot, of somnambular flesh...
Notes
To read the original version in Portuguese click here
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/show/119434-Antonio-Rui-de-Noronha-Surge-et-Ambula
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Comments
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He may be crying for Africa to awaken but it's a cry that can be applied to many things...to America, the world, and to so many different problems. And many of us stare, wondering what we'll awaken us from this soporific spell.
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Noronha spins an exceptional message to a continent that has suffered greatly under the hand of greed. I think this message transends the African nation and brings some realities to the forefront for Africans transported to America, in this the seemingly "now generation".
It appears that we are "asleep", and there is a dire need to awaken.
Excellent!
Thanks PK for highlighting this great poet. Thanks for unearthing him, and introducing him to me.
Renee
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A powerful voice, elegant and bold, a voice from within Africa seeing so much and calling upon Africans to stand and move forward for change; and change comes from rising from sleep; the imagery of sleep is vast and infinite and a vital hold against needs and change. This is a marvelous poem and the translation by MariGoes captures depth of thought, the many ideas and memorable imagery...the crows. Excellent poetry and a most worthy translation...h
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