DeSousa-Brent
Scholars Program

World Carnival 2010 - World Poetry Showcase 
 


Meri Raat Din Bas (Every Night and Day)
-Anonymous
Read by Shazia Khan

Meri raat din bas           For every night and day
Yehi aik sadaa hai          From the bottom of my heart
Ke is aalame kaun          I wish that there be someone who learns
Ka ik khuda hai             That we are all one and the same
Usi ne hai paida             For we were all created in this lovely Earth of ours
Kiya is jehan ko             Surrounded by the magnificent sun, moon, and stars
Sitaaron ko suraj ko  
Aur aasaman ko
Wo hai aik uska             Yes, we may look different
Nahi koi hamsar             But why be superficial?
Wo malik hai subka
Wo hakim hai subpar
Har aik cheez par usko    Do our bodies not respond the same in fear and danger?
Kudrat hai haasil  
Har aik kaam ki usko  
Taqat hai haasil             Again I say,
Meri raat din bas           For every night and day
Yehi aik sadaa hai          From the bottom of my heart
Ke is aalame kaun         I wish that there be someone who learns
Ka ik khuda hai             That we are all one and the same
Usi ne hai paida            For we were all created in this lovely Earth of ours
Kiya is jehan ko             Surrounded by the magnificent sun, moon, and stars
Sitaaron ko suraj ko
Aur aasaman ko 
 


Learning Game
by Rakeena Banks     

Bold and Beautiful,
That's what I think myself to be.
Forget all those negative things
You have to say about me.
From my hair
To my feet
I KNOW there is beauty to be seen....            
So please
Do not judge me with your negativity.
I love the skin I'm in,
The swagger when I walk
And I enjoy the powerful undertone
My voice carries when I talk.
Don't judge me for how I may look so much more different than you
On the inside is what matters,
And I have that similarity to you.
You see,
You were raised one way,
And I was raised another...
So extend your hand to me.
Let's learn from one another

(Untitled)
by Brandon Winter

Dirty boots, pretty dresses and a crooked smile  


Her boots get dirty from all the dirt she’s gotta kick
All the dirt she’s gotta kick just to stop from taking it
Because SHE is the only one who decides what she takes
 
Pretty Dresses and a crooked Smile  

She wears that pretty dress because it makes her feel like a flower
Reaching toward the sun with her own power
And even though little shadows claw at its tips
Her dress is still as fresh as the day she made it
 
Then there’s her crooked smile
That she uses to cover up the face
The face that is always screaming her name
Reminding her of the big ugly stain

That black mark that’s splattered all across her womb
Of a child made from a monster's sperm

But with her dirty boots she kicks the regret away
And with her pretty dress she shines like the suns rays
To straighten out that smile that’s been crooked for so long 

Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again
by Xu Zhi Mo
Read by Yifan Wu

Very quietly I take my leave 
    《再别康桥》徐志摩
As quietly as I came here;
     轻轻的我走了,
Quietly I wave good-bye
     正如我轻轻的来;
To the rosy clouds in the western sky.   我轻轻的招手,
The golden willows by the riverside
   作别西天的云彩。
Are young brides in the setting sun;
　　   那河畔的金柳
Their reflections on the shimmering waves
  是夕阳中的新娘 　　
Always linger in the depth of my heart.   波光里的艳影,
The floating heart growing in the sludge
　　  在我的心头荡漾。
Sways leisurely under the water;
    软泥上的青荇,
In the gentle waves of Cambridge
    油油的在水底招摇；
I would be a water plant!     在康河的柔波里，
That pool under the shade of elm trees
　　  我甘心做一条水草
Holds not water but the rainbow from the sky;
　　 那树荫下的一潭，
Shattered to pieces among the duckweeds
  不是清泉，是天上虹
Is the sediment of a rainbow-like dream?   揉碎在浮藻间，
To seek a dream?      沉淀着彩虹似的梦。
Just to pole a boat upstream
    寻梦？撑一支长篙，
To where the green grass is more verdant;
　　  向青草更青处漫溯，
Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight
　　 满载一船星辉，
And sing aloud in the splendor of starlight.  在星辉斑斓里放歌
But I cannot sing aloud
     但我不能放歌，
Quietness is my farewell music;
    悄悄是别离的笙箫；
Even summer insects heap silence for me
   夏虫也为我沉默，
Silent is Cambridge tonight!     沉默是今晚的康桥！
Very quietly I take my leave
    悄悄的我走了，
As quietly as I came here;
     正如我悄悄的来；
Gently I flick my sleeves
     我挥一挥衣袖，
Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away   不带走一片云彩。

My Eyes Will Be the Death of Me
by Keber Debebe

My eyes will be the death of me    Gud yaregegn ayne neuw, aytosh bekifu qen
I wanted you to understand,         Endigba’bash felige, seuw miyastewawuqen
You made me scared of my love,   Asafershign mewdedein,
I tried to tell you                         lnegrish bimokir
You’re very cruel to a love            Min Chekagn nesh ye’matrari,
    you don't understand                   yemaygebash fiqir
You spoke it in front of others       Enkuan tenagreshh beseuw feet
I made fool out of myself              Aynafra negn enei,
    from the start                              kebefeet
Too bold talking to you only          Defirey bawerash, anchin bicha
I became everyone's clown            Aderegshign, yeseuw mezabecha
How many beautiful girls              Sint qonjo alefegn,
    passed me by since                      eskezare
Too afraid to get close and talk      Qerbo lemanager, bemafere
If I were to ask you today,             Zare anchin biTeyiq,
    if we were to promise                   qal beeweTagn
Just like a child you'd scold me       Lik ende’hiTsan lij, aynish qeTagn
Too scared to speak,                      Sifera sicher anagireysh
    why did you kill my confidence   Minew melesheegn asafiresh
My love destroyed by your cruelty,  Fiqreyn megletse,
    keep trying?                                  min kifat alew
    Please I'm too scared                      Tey feet atinshign, bakish afralehu
Too scared to speak,                      Sifera sicher anagireysh
    why did you kill my confidence    Minew melesheegn asafiresh
My love destroyed by your cruelty,   Fiqreyn megletse,
    keep trying?                                  min kifat alew
    Please I'm too scared                      Tey feet atinshign, bakish afralehu