Mirrors: The Aborigne Poetry of Eldred Van-ooy by justin spring - HTML preview

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Toktok Nem Bilong Samting: LITERAL TRANSLATION

 

Na Drimtaim i-tokim mi mas ran.

THEN DREAMTIME SAID THAT I MUST HUNT.

Na mi mas ranim nu samting.

BUT I MUST HUNT NEW THING.

Mun go kol.

MOON GOES COLD.

Ai bilong wara i-tudark, i-faitim kundu.

EYE OF WATER GETS DARK, IT DRUMS.

Lip bilong mi i-tokim nem bilong plenti samting.

MY LIPS SAY NAME OF MANY THINGS.

Na toktok gowe long nattaim ples,

NOW TALKING GOES AWAY TO NIGHT-TIME PLACE,

olsem balus.

LIKE BIRD.

Em i-stap wantaim long samting i-nogat nem.        

IT STAYS WITH THING THAT HAS NO NAME.

Mun go kol.

MOON GOES COLD.

Ai bilong wara i-tudark, i-faitim kundu.

EYE OF WATER GETS DARK, IT DRUMS.

Blut bilong mi go olsem starstar.        

MY BLOOD GOES LIKE MANY STARS.

Mi foldawn olsem dog.

I FALL DOWN LIKE DOG.

Naw samting mi ran, em i-ranim mi.

NOW THING I HUNT, IT HUNTS ME.

Naw toktok i-maw,

NOW TALKING IS RIPE,

olsem ran, olsem smel bilong grawn.

LIKE HUNT, LIKE SMELL OF GROUND.

                                                          JAN 3, 1939