Daughter of Locusts - Ribka Sibhatu

Locusts, darkened sky,
flayed earth. A mother
panting in bed.

 
A gloomy month, September,
void of vegetables and greenery.
 
'Ileleleleleleleleleleleleleil...!
Ileleleleleleleleleleleleleil...!
Ileleleleleleleleleleleleleil...!
 
Her crying started as soon
as she came into the world.
 
Freed from suffering
the search for milk began
going from door to door.
 
Emaciated livestock lacking milk -
how to soothe the guest?
How to quench a new mother's thirst?
if the goats are not merciful.
 
In that desolate moment
she devoured the milk that had just been milked
and took up her crying once more.
 
'Is that chubby one crying again?'
 
'Roly-poly's crying -
as if there wasn't enough trouble'
 
'My poor little one... born into
chaos and famine!'

---

Ribka Sibhatu (born 1962) Eritrea
Translated by Andre Naffis-Sahely and The Poetry Translation Workshop
Source: The Poetry Translation Centre