Monday, December 31, 2012

一年容易又過去

I return in my thoughts to those I had met then. What has become of them? If Diogenes is no longer alive, it may well be that his sons are fighting. And strong, stocky, courageous Farrusco? Even if he did survive, he would be too old now to be in the trenches. But I remember him saying that a son had just been born to him. So if I were to meet a young officer on the Angolan front these days, ask him his name, and hear that it's Farrusco, I would answer: Years ago, I rode in a jeep with someone who had the same last name. Yes, the young officer would concur, that was my father.

And tall, silent Commandante Ndozi? Ndozi is no longer alive. He was blown up by a mine. Monti was also blown up by a mine. Powerful, cheerful Batalha as well. In these wars, enemies see each other face-to-face less and less frequently. They perish as they walk, while everything around them is empty and quiet. Death comes at them covertly, lying in wait under some sand, beneath a stone, under a clump of blackthorn. The earth was once the source of life, a granary, something desirable. Now, in these parts, man regards the earth suspiciously, distrustfully, with fear and loathing. With happened to Oscar? Perhaps he survived, and has retired. I would so much like him to have a good and peaceful old age. And Gilberto? I don't know, I cannot say. Felix? I also don't know. People disappear without a trace, so completely and irretrievably, first from the world, and then from our memory. 

And Dona Cartagina? I am almost afraid to think about it. What if she is no more? But this seems impossible. Without Dona Cartagina, I cannot imagine either Luanda, or Angola, or this whole war. That is why I am convinced that should you be Luanda, sooner or later you will meet a grey-haired old woman walking in the morning towards the Hotel Tivoli. She will be hurrying, because, just like every other day, a lot of cleaning awaits her. If you stop her and inquire, 'Excuse me, are you Dona Cartagina?' the woman will stop for a moment, look at you with surprise, and then politely answer, 'Yes, it is I.'

And she will continue briskly on her way.



Saturday, December 15, 2012

A Corps Perdu

寫在世界末日前:
2012年學會最寶貴的一課是
呢個世界無話無咗邊個唔得嘅
世界的中心,原來都係自己
最重要的,原來係要對得起自己
然後每天就不會白過
即使下星期就是末日
也沒有甚麼好後悔的
在丟失我的法文之前
為中法音樂交流出點力吧


Puisque des filets nous retiennent 天羅地網逃不出
Puisque nos raisons nous enchaînent 理智情由掙不脫
Que rien ne brille sous nos remparts 戰線上不再見閃光
Et puisqu'on n'atteint pas le ciel 天空沒太遠觸不到
A moins de s'y brûler les ailes 翅膀燒掉才飛不起
Et suivre les routes où l'on s'égare 沿迷失的路走下去
Comme on dresse un étendard 像旗幟升永不回頭

A corps perdu, ivre et sans fard 我專心一意 心醉神往
Pour n'être plus le pantin d'un espoir 不再淪為希冀的玩偶
Et si la vie n'est qu'une cause perdue 即使一生注定是場敗仗
Mon âme est libre d'y avoir enfin cru 只要我相信 靈魂就得自由
A corps perdu 我全心全意

Puisque les destins sont les mêmes 你我命運他朝相同
Que tous les chemins nous ramènent 但願前行都能走到
A l'aube d'un nouveau départ 旅程啟航那個晨曦
On n'apprend rien de nos erreurs 怎可永遠一錯再錯
A moins de s'y brûler le coeur 燒掉了心才記不住
Je suivrai les routes où l'on s'égare 沿著迷路我走下去
Comme on dresse un étendard 像旗幟升永不回頭

A corps perdu, ivre et sans fard 我全心全意 心醉神往
Pour n'être plus le pantin d'un espoir 不再淪為希冀的玩偶
Et si la vie n'est qu'une cause perdue 即使一生注定是場敗仗
Mon âme est libre d'y avoir enfin cru 只要我相信 靈魂就得自由
A corps perdu 我全心全意
A corps perdu 我一心一意

A corps perdu j'écrirai mon histoire 全心全意 我寫我的故事
Je ne serai plus le pantin du hasard 不再淪為命運的玩偶
Si toutes les vies sont des causes perdues 即使一生注定是場敗仗
Les hommes meurent de n'avoir jamais cru 匆匆一生 只因從不相信
De n'avoir pas vécu ivres et sans fard 只因從未活過 - 心醉神往
Soldats vaincus pour une guerre sans victoire 輸掉一場沒有勝利的戰爭

Et si ma vie n'est qu'une cause perdue 即使一生注定是場敗仗
Je partirai libre d'y avoir au moins cru 最少我相信 就可活得自由
A corps perdu 我一心一意
A corps perdu... 全心全意