| INGLESE / ENGLISH / ANGLAIS [6] - Andreas Hilmo Teig
|
THE DESERTER | THE DESERTER |
| |
In full awareness, | Dear Mister President, |
Dear President, | I write this letter truthfully |
I am writing you this letter, | And given enough time maybe |
which I hope you will read. | you'll read what I have sent. |
The draft card here | For I've received with fright |
plainly tells me that | a letter from the army |
I have to go make war | Informing that they need me |
this coming Monday. | in the trenches Wednesday night. |
However, I am not here, | But Mister President, |
Dear President, | my heart was never willing |
to kill people | I wasn't made for killing, |
more or less like me. | you'll never have me bent. |
I am not annoyed with you, | I hope you don't feel hurt |
by the way, | by reading my confession |
but I feel I have decided | I've made a firm decision: |
and I will desert. | I'm going to desert. |
| |
I only had trouble | I've felt the pains of war: |
since I was born | my father followed orders |
and the children I brought up | And died, just like my brothers. |
have cried with me. | My kids I hardly saw. |
My mom and my dad | My mother's suffering ended |
are buried now | and where she is resting |
and about the war | No bombs and no molesting |
they won't give a damn. | upon her may descend. |
When I was a prisoner | When I a captive was |
someone stole | they took away my wife |
my wife and my past, | That woman was my life, |
my best age. | and all that's left is loss. |
Tomorrow I am going to get up | Tomorrow I will rise |
I am going to close the door | and close my front door silently |
on the dead season | At dawn, and leave behind me |
and set off. | the dead years of my life. |
| |
I'll live on charity | I now will spend my time |
on the streets of Spain, | a pilgrim on a voyage |
of France and Britain | So all can hear this message, |
and I'll call on everyone | be told about this crime: |
not to leave anymore | Do not accept that hate, |
and not to obey | refuse to obey their orders, |
just to end up dead | Do not commit their murders, |
for no matter who. | be not a soldier made. |
Therefore if you need | If blood must now be shed |
blood at all costs, | you should give some of yours |
go give yours, | For, President, your laws |
if this amuses you. | like apostles' words us led. |
And, please, tell your men, | If my arrest you plot, |
if they come for me, | please tell the guards that catch me |
that they can shoot at me, | That I no arms will carry, |
weapons ... I don't have. | and safely can be shot. |