Abdulah Sidran en

SIDRAN, Abdulah
Abdulah Sidran, born in 1944 in Sarajevo, is a poet, prose writer and author of screen-
plays. He studied at the Faculty for Arts in Sarajevo and edited journals and magazines for
young people. Until the outbreak of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina he worked for Bosnian
TV as "leading dramaturg". His best-known collections of poetry are Chess-base, 1970,
Bone and Flesh, 1976, Sarajevan Collection, 1979, Sickness ofthe Soul, 1988, and Sarajevan
Open Coffin, 1993. For his poetry he has received a number of important awards. For the
Sarajevan Open Coffin he was awarded the exceptional Freedom Prize by the French
P.E.N. Centre (previous vvinners were Solzhenitsvn, Saharov, Havel). Abdulah Sidran is
one of the most important names in ex-Yugoslav cinematography (he is the author of
screenplays for Do you Remember Dolly Bell? and Father is Away on a Business Trip, both
directed by Emir Kusturica, and many others). He is a member ofthe Academy of Arts and
Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and lives in Sarajevo.
Abdulah Sidran, roden u Sarajevu 1944. godine, pjesnik, prozaik i filmski scenarist,
pohadao Filozofski fakultet u Sarajevu i uredivao omladinske listove i asopise. Do poetka
rata u Bosni i Hercegovini bio zaposlen na TV BiH kao "vodei dramaturg". Vaniji
pjesniki naslovi: ahbaza, 1970, Kost i meso, 1976, Sarajevska zbirka, 1979, Bolest od
due, 1988, Sarajevski tabut, 1993. Za svoje pjesnike knjige nagradivan najznaajnijim
knjievnim priznanjima. Njegova knjiga Sarajevski tabut nagradena je izuzetnim pri
znanjem, "Nagradom slobode", francuskog PEN - centra (prethodni laureati Solenjicin,
Saharov, Havel). Jedan je od najznaajnijih filmskih autora (scenarista) u eks-jugosla-
venskoj kinematografiji (Sjea ti se Doli Bell, Otac na slubenom putu, itd.). lan je
Akademije nauka i umjetnosti Bosne i Hercegovine. ivi u Sarajevu.
Sodobnost 2001 I 332

ABDULAH SIDRAN
Why Venice Sinks

To Peter Weir
I look at the sky above Venice.

Nothing has changed for the last
seven billion years. Above, there is God. He
created the Universe, and in this Universe seven billion
worlds, in each world countless peoples, a multitude
of languages, and one, only one - Venice.
Nations he created different, whispering into their ears: "Now

get to know each other." He gave them many languages
to learn from one another, to know each other through them,
and this has made everybody richer and better. Venice he gave us,
like the birds and the fish, so that people and nations would believe
in Him - marvelling at His works.
/
I look at the sky above Venice. Above, and everywhere,
there is - God. One and only. Who created the Universe, seven
billion worlds in the Universe, in each world many
nations and languages, and one Venice. And one little
nation, in one of the worlds, on a piece of land called
Europe, in the flame of Southern Slavs. Here there is Border.
Bosnia, Bosnia, Bosnia. They touch you, and beat you, Eastern
cross and Western cross, born from one Cross. But the Bosnian
nation is gentle. Thatfs why it accepts the hand of the Third
Faith: in One God, Who is not born, nor has given birth,
yet is the Master of the worlds and the Ruler of Judgment Day.

Abdulah Sidran
I look at the sky above Venice. Earthly

masters have decided that the Bosnian nation - does not exist.
Venice sinks. Europe sinks. The cradle sinks, and
with it the baby. Continents sink. The rose in a vase
made of murano glass sinks. Murano sinks. The hotel room sinks,
and The Society ofDead Poets. Why shouldn't there be
in the world the Bosnian nation? Among colours -
one colour, among smells - one smeli less?
Why shouldn't there be in the world - this Venice?
Among many wonders - one wonder less?
I look at the sky, above the Earthly world.

One star, in a long are, is vanishing into the fathomless
Universe. As if falling into the middle of Canal Grande.
The Earthly world, one of the seven billion cosmic
worlds, wants to remain poorer for one whole
nation. Such is the will of earthly masters.
In the Universe, then, one star is falling. That is why
Venice sinks. The Universe will be poorer - for one
whole world. Such is the will of the Masters of the worlds.
Such is the will of the Ruler of Judgement Day.
(Venice /Sarajevo, August / September 1993)
Translated by Evald Flisar

Abdulah Sidran
Planet Sarajevo
(an accompaniment to Schubert string auartet
"Death and the Maiden")
Listen
to the breathing
of Planet Sarajevo
Listen
to the Girl crving:
"Death, don't take me along!"
How many times have we

whispered
in tears
our ardent pravers for peace?
But Death cares not for the girl's

tears,
Death cares not for the human
pravers.
Listen
to the breathing
of Planet Sarajevo
Observe
howfull of bloom
Planet Sarajevo is.
Can you hear

the blood
rushing inexorably through its veins?
People go -
to have their teeth filled.

Abdulah Sidran
People go -
to take children for a haircut.
People go -
and buy newspapers.
The one over there

breeds pigeons!
This one, here,

cannot live
without crossword puzzles.
See
how people move along
carried away with work!
See howall ofthem

have aged overnight!
What has made them, ali of them,
suddenh/ - so beautiful?
On Planet Sarajevo
I saw a man -
smoking a pipe - and rushing by!...
On Planet Sarajevo
I saw a man
eating - and crying!
I saw a little girl,

on Planet Sarajevo,
in the park which was not
picking flowers which were - not!
Death is a thorough reaper,

in vain the ghTs tears,
in vain every
prayer for peace!
In the universe
- it's name is Bosnia -
a little girl,

Abdulah Sidran
with the hand she has not,

picking theflowerswhich are not!
This is not war

- in a war, there areflowerseverywhere -
this is the Struggle from the Beginning
ofTime!
In it, two principles are fighting
- from the Beginning ofTime
to the Judgement Day -
the principle of Good
and the principle of Evil!
Let there never be an end

to the struggle between Good and Evil!
Should Good
disappear from this Earth
Should the Girl

kiss the hand
of Death the Reaper?
Don't you hear her crving:

"Death, please don't take me along!"?
Don't cry, my girl,

don't cry, my beautiful daughter!
Never, never
will there be an end
to the struggle between Good and Evil.
(Sarajevo, 1 Februarj 1994)
Translated by Bili Tribe

ABDGLAH SIDRAN
Zato tone Venecija
Piteru Viru
Gledam u nebo iznad Venecije.

Nista se promijenilo nije, posljednjih
sedam miljardi godina. Gore, ima Bog. On
stvorio je Svemir, u Svemiru sedam milijardi
svjetova, u svakom svijetu bezbroj naroda, mnotvo
jezika, i po jednu, jednu - Veneciju.
Narode stvorio razliitim, na uho im apnuo: "Sada

upoznajite jedni druge." Sijaset jezika dao, da ih ue,
jedni od drugih, kroz jezike da se upoznaju, i svi,
od toga - bivaju bogatiji, i bolji. Veneciju dao, kao
ticu i ribu sto je dao, da ljudi i narodi vjeruju
u Njega - udei se Njegovim djelima.
Gledam u nebo iznad Venecije. Gore, i posvuda,

jeste - Bog. Jedan. Sto stvorio je Svemir, sedam
milijardi svjetova u Svemiru, u svakom svijetu puno
jezika i naroda, i po jednu Veneciju. I jedan malehni
narod dao, u jednome svijetu, na kopnu sto ga zovu
Evropom, u plamenu Junih Slavena. Tu je Granica.
Bosna. Bosna. Bosna. Dodiruju se tu, i tuku, Istoni
kri i Zapadni kri, od jednog Kria nastali. A
bonjaki narod je pitom. Zato prihvati raku Tree
Vjere: u Jednog Boga, Koji nije roden, niti je rodio,
a Gospodar je svjetova, i Vladar Sudnjega Dana.

Abdulah Sidran
Gledam u nebo iznad Venecije. Zemaljski su

gospodari namjerili da bonjakog naroda - nema.
Venecija tone. Evropa tone. Tone kolijevka, i dijete
u kolijevci tone. Tonu kontinenti. Tone rua u vani
od stakla murano. Tone Murano. Hotelska soba tone
i Drutvo mrtvih pjesnika tone. Zato ne treba
na svijetu da ima naroda bonjakog? Medu bojama
- jedna boja, medu mirisima - jedan miri manje?
Zato ne treba svijetu da ima - ova Venecija?
Medu udima - jedno udo manje?
Gledam u nebo, iznad Zemaljskog svijeta.

Jedna se zvijezda, u dugome luku, rui u bezdan
Svemira. Kao da pade - posred Kanala Grande.
Zemaljski svijet, medu sedam milijardi vasionskih
svjetova, hoe da ostane siromaniji za cio jedan
narod. Takva je volja zemaljskih gospodara.
U Svemiru, tada, jedna zvijezda pada. Zato tone
Venecija. Svemir bude siromaniji - za cio
jedan svijet. Takva je volja Gospodara svjetova.
Takva je volja Vladara Sudnjega Dana.
(Venecija /Sarajevo, avgust /septembar 1993.)
Planeta Sarajevo
(Uz Subertov gudaki kvartet

"Smrt i djevojka")
Posluajte *
kako die
Planeta - Sarajevo.
Posluajte
kako plae Djevojka:
"Smrti, nemoj me uzeti!"
Koliko smo puta

plaui
kazivali
nae arke molitve za mir?

Abdulah Sidran
Ne haje Smrt za djevojakom suzom,

ne haje Smrt za Ijudskom molitvom.
Posluajte
kako die
Planeta Sarajevo.
Pogledajte
kako cvate
Planeta Sarajevo!
ujete li
kako njenim ilama
krv neumitno kola?
Ljudi, eno, idu -

popravljaju zube.
Ljudi, eno, idu -

djecu vode na ianje.
Enu, ljudi idu -

kupuju novine.
Onaj, vidi,
uzgaja golubove!
Onaj, pogledaj
ne moe da ivi -
bez ukrtenih rijei.
Vidi
kako ljudi idu
zaneseni poslom!
Kako su samo
prekono ostarjeli!
Od eg su se, tako naglo,
svi od reda - proljepali?
Na Planeti Sarajevo,
vidio sam ovjeka -
pui lulu - i uri!

Abdulah Sidran
Vidio sam,
na Planeti Sarajevo,
jedan ovjek jede - i plae!
Vidio sam djevojicu,

na Planeti Sarajevo,
u parku kojeg nema, bere cvijece kojeg - nema!
Nije ovo rat

- u ratu, posvuda, ima cvijeca -
- ovo je Borba od Iskona!
U njoj se biju dva naela
- od Iskona
do Sudnjeg dana -
naelo Dobra
i naelo Zla!
Neka nikad ne prestane

izmedu Zla i Dobra borba!
Zar da nestane
sa Svijeta Dobro?
Zar da Djevojka
u ruku ljubi
Kosca Smrtonosca?
Cujete li kako plae:

"Smrti, nemoj me uzeti"?
Ne plai, djevojko,
ne drhti, keri njepa!
Nikad i nikad
prestati nee
izmedu Zla i Dobra borba.
(Sarajevo, 01. 02. 1994)

Abdulah Sidran en

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Abdulah Sidran en

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Who is Abdulah Sidran and what are some of his notable works?

Who is Abdulah Sidran and what are some of his notable works?

What is the passage comparing Venice and Bosnia to?

What is the passage comparing Venice and Bosnia to?

SIDRAN, Abdulah

Sodobnost 2001 I 332

Why Venice Sinks

I look at the sky above Venice.

Nations he created different, whispering into their ears: "Now

Sodobnost 2001 I 333

I look at the sky above Venice. Earthly

I look at the sky, above the Earthly world.

(Venice /Sarajevo, August / September 1993)

Translated by Evald Flisar

Sodobnost 2001 I 334

How many times have we

But Death cares not for the girl's

Can you hear

Sodobnost 2001 I 335

The one over there

This one, here,

See howall ofthem

I saw a little girl,

Death is a thorough reaper,

Sodobnost 2001 I 336

with the hand she has not,

This is not war

Let there never be an end

Should the Girl

Don't you hear her crving:

Don't cry, my girl,

(Sarajevo, 1 Februarj 1994)

Translated by Bili Tribe

Sodobnost 2001 I 337

Zato tone Venecija

Gledam u nebo iznad Venecije.

Narode stvorio razliitim, na uho im apnuo: "Sada

Gledam u nebo iznad Venecije. Gore, i posvuda,

Sodobnost 2001 I 338

Gledam u nebo iznad Venecije. Zemaljski su

Gledam u nebo, iznad Zemaljskog svijeta.

(Venecija /Sarajevo, avgust /septembar 1993.)

(Uz Subertov gudaki kvartet

Koliko smo puta

Sodobnost 2001 I 339

Ne haje Smrt za djevojakom suzom,

Ljudi, eno, idu -

Ljudi, eno, idu -

Enu, ljudi idu -

Sodobnost 2001 I 340

Vidio sam djevojicu,

Nije ovo rat

Neka nikad ne prestane

Cujete li kako plae:

(Sarajevo, 01. 02. 1994)

Sodobnost 2001 I 341

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