Wednesday, January 17, 2007

THE ANCESTOR'S BREATH

BREATHS

Listen more often to things, than to beings,
Listen more often to things than to beings,
'Tis the ancestor's breath when the fire's voice is heard,
'Tis the ancestor's breathin the voice of the waters

Those who have died have never, never left.
The dead are not under the earth.
They are in the rustling trees, They are in the groaning woods,
They are in the crying grass,
They are in the moaning rocks.
The dead are not under the earth.

Those who have died have never, never left.
The dead have a pact with the living.
They are in the woman's breast,
They are in the wailing child,
They are with us in our homes,
They are with us in this crowd.
The dead have a pact with the living.

Listen more often to things than to beings,
Listen more often to things than to beings,
'Tis the ancestor's breath when the fire's voice is heard,
'Tis the ancestor's breath in the voice of the waters.
Birago Diop