639 | BEARERS OF SCARS | Andrée Chedid, Egypt-France

Painting by Akbar Behkalam, Iran-Germany

BEARERS OF SCARS

The dead with broken faces rise up
The tongue of the humiliated swells
The stormy tide of victims rises
But beware bearers of scars

Extinguish in your flesh the volcanoes of hate
Stomp the sting and spit out the venom

that would one day make you look like the executioners

Silence those bugles, those bells forcing sameness commanding vengeance

Question your guts
Rip off your masks
Be different.

ANDRÉE CHEDID, Egypt-France (1920-2011)
Translation Germain Droogenbroodt – Stanley Barkan

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Porteurs de cicatrices / Les morts aux visages rompus se redressent / La langue des humiliés se gonfle
Orageuse se lève la marée des victimes // Mais prenez garde porteurs de cicatrices! // Éteignez dans vos chairs les
volcans de la haine // Piétinez l’aiguillon et crachez le venin / qui vous apparenteraient un jour aux bourreaux /
Étouffez ces clairons ces sonneries qui forcent la ressemblance qui commandent le talion / Questionnez vos viscères
Percez vos propres masques /Soyez autres!