اما But

اما

پشت به یکدیگر ایستاده‌ایم
به تماشای تاریکی و جرجر باران
باران می‌ایستد
فصلی دیگر می‌آید
سر می‌چرخانیم تا بهار را تماشا کنیم
اما یکدیگر را باز نمی‌شناسیم
 

But

We stand back to back
to contemplate darkness
and the chirping of rain,
when it eases
a new season dawns,
we turn our heads
to contemplate Spring
and find we no longer know one another.
 

Notes on the literal translation:

[1] This is an onomatopaeic expression ‘jer jer’, perhaps more habitually the noise that birds would make

[2] The word implies more than just looking, whilst this isn’t an unusual use of the word, it is more often used for watching a show or the television, being engaged and immersed in something

[3] Or ‘we don’t know each other’, we no longer know each other?

Elhum Shakerifar, Literal Translator

Original Poem by

Azita Ghahreman

Translated by

Elhum Shakerifar with Maura Dooley Language

Farsi

Country

Iran