The Ofi Press Magazine
International Poetry and Literature from Mexico City
T.J. Dema (Botswana), Published in Issue 28.
Translations by Sebastián Velásquez Escobar.
| Tuareg Indigo
I am she who wears colour on skin Adorning flesh with desert shades of indigo My stories tell themselves below eyes Above buttered cheeks I have no need for a metal sky A casket carved of bone, mortared in blood I am a million constellations moulded of mud The colour of a waking sky Purple blue memories, sand storm covered secrets Between my lover the desert And I | Índigo tuareg
Yo soy la que viste color en la piel Adornando la carne con tonos desérticos de índigo Mis historias se narran bajo los ojos Sobre pómulos de mantequilla No necesito un cielo de metal Un ataúd tallado en hueso, majado en sangre Soy un millón de constelaciones moldeadas en lodo El color de un cielo que despierta Recuerdos azul púrpura, secretos sumidos en tormentas de arena Entre mi amante el desierto Y yo |
Just Because
Because I know you are going to ask Where the flowers are I have picked roses red and sweet Left them by the wayside for the birds to eat
Because I know you are going to ask Where the sweets are I have made you halwa these hands Stirred and then spilt what was yours
Because I know you are going to ask Where I am I have long left the place I was To walk slow between the trees
Where your greedy eye cannot reach me | Porque Sí
Porque sé que vas a preguntar Dónde están las flores He cogido rosas rojas y dulces Las dejé junto al camino para que las aves las coman
Porque sé que vas a preguntar Donde están los dulces Te he preparado halwa con estas manos que Revolvieron y derramaron lo que era tuyo
Porque sé que vas a preguntar Dónde estoy Hace mucho dejé ese lugar Para caminar despacio entre los árboles
Donde tu ojo avaro no pueda alcanzarme |
About the Poet and Translator
TJ Dema is a Botswana based poet, voice over artist and arts administrator. She is former chairperson of the Writers Association of Botswana and an honorary fellow of the University of Iowa's International Writing Program.
Street culture and Spoken Word from Berlin following TJ and colleagues: http://youtu.be/8apdW8aQGuw
Sebastian Velasquez Escoba was born in Colombia. He studied philosophy and plastic arts in Medellín. He migrated to the USA in 2006, where he worked as a journalist, waiter, translator, carpenter, Spanish teacher and construction clerk and got a Masters degree in Literature. He is the founder of the blog: unperogrullo.blogspot.com and is currently pursuing a Master in Creative writing in Iowa City.