Oant de diggels

ik dichtsje hâldfêst
ik leau om’t ik sjong
ik dûnsje my moed
ik dream oant it brekt

as de dei har fan my ôfkeart
en it ljocht út alles weilûkt
as de stilte oan my skuort
rjochtsje ik myn rêch en neam my fadista

en as ik dûnsje mei de sinne
swit ik my dronken fan it libben
it swit, de rein en de triennen
se binne gelyk en ik wol drinke

en om’t ik dichtsje
sil ik leauwe
dwers troch de kolken fan fertriet
en om’t ik sjong
sil ik priuwe
myn tonge sear fan al it swiet
en soe it libben my brekke
oant de diggels sil ik dreame

Lyrics: Nynke Laverman // Music: José Magala // English translation: Susan Massotty

Translation

Into a thousand pieces

I anchor myself with my poems
I believe because I sing
I dance myself into daring
I dream until it breaks

when the day turns away from me
and the light fades out of everything
when the silence plucks at me          
I stand up straight and swear I’m a fadista

and when I dance with the sun
I drench myself drunk with life
the sweat, the rain and the tears
are all one and I want to drink

and because I write poems
I will believe
through the rocky shoals of sadness
and because I sing
I will taste
my tongue aching from the sweetness
and if life breaks me
into a thousand pieces I will dream