En Lambeaux

The hills of the Bateke plains roll soft about me

A fairytale sea of fluffy, grass-flecked slopes

A rainbow arcing in the sunlight

Before the coming tempest

But my heart is ribbons,

A tangled silken mess,

And I barely notice.

The logs beneath my feet give way, they threaten

They’ll ditch me in the swamp to either side

I stumble and I curse my feeble body

Maladroit, attempting to survive

And my stomach is ribbons,

And every step I tremble,

And it goes on.

Looking upwards I seek solace from old comrades

Southern Cross, false cross, twins and Scorpio

Beside me, new friends pass across a bowl

Smoked fish with manioc (for strength)

Mais je suis en lambeaux,

Et ça ne me fait rien,

Rien, rien.