LIKE A MIRROR

 

The two speakers face each other up close, like looking into a mirror. To read the last line, both speakers face out to the audience.

The writing in Italics is meant to be translated into the language of the second speaker i.e. not English. There is a time line going down the page and phrases on the same line are spoken at the same time. Phrases on different lines are spoken at different times. The non-English language speaker can speak e.g. Urdu; and then the poem is repeated with another speaker speaking in another language (e.g. French) for the italic words, and then another speaker with another language. I wrote this at a time of troubles when some people in the U.K. were being discriminated against – worse than usual - because of their religion, colour, or culture.

 

 

First Speaker                            Second Speaker

 

We haven’t seen each other,              ----------------------

In years and years…                      In years and years…

I see with different eyes                 ----------------------

----------------------------              I see with different eyes

I hear with different ears                -------------------------

---------------------                     I hear with different ears

Is it better, or…                         -------------------------

-----------------                         Is it worse?

------------------                        Is it kinder?

Or is it crueller?                        --------------------

To be many                                To be many

Oh la la. Ohhh lala la.                   Oh la la. Ohhh lala la.

La la sa la                               La la sa la

Words: black, white, young, old,          Words: black, white, young, old,

Strong, weak, woman, man                  Strong, weak, woman, man

Religion or no religion                   Religion or no religion

Words seem different                      Words seem different

Emotions seem the same                     -----------------------

-----------------------------              Emotions seem the same

But we are one                             -------------------

---------------------                      But we are one

But we are one                             But we are one.

                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                Like a Mirror

Words for translation

Below are the words that need to be translated into other languages in order to be used as part of the multi-voice / multi-language poem, Like a Mirror.     

                          

In years and years

                          

I see with different eye

 

I hear with different ears

 

Is it worse?

 

Is it kinder

 

To be many                              

 

Words: black, white, young, old, strong, weak, woman, man

 

Religion or no religion

 

Words seem different

                                        

Emotions seem the same

                                        

But we are one.

 

 

 

 

                                LIKE A MIRROR      URDU

 

The two speakers face each other up close, like looking into a mirror. To read the last line, both speakers face out to the audience.

The writing in Italics (given above) is meant to be translated into the language of the second speaker i.e. not English. There is a time line going down the page and phrases on the same line are spoken at the same time. Phrases on different lines are spoken at different times. The non-English language speaker can speak Urdu; and then the poem is repeated with another speaker speaking in another language (e.g. French) for the italic words, and then another speaker with another language.

 

First Speaker                           Second Speaker (Urdu - phonetics)

 

We haven’t seen each other,             ----------------------

In years and years…                      Saal or saalo mey…

I see with different eyes                ----------------------

----------------------------             Mein alag ankh sey deykhta hoo

I hear with different ears               -------------------------

---------------------                    Mein alag kaan sey soonta moon

Is it better, or…                        -------------------------

-----------------                        Kya yey zyada kharab hay?

------------------                       Zyada acha hai?

Or is it crueller?                       --------------------

To be many                               Zyada

Oh la la. Ohhh lala la.                  Oh la la. Ohhh lala la.

La la sa la                              La la sa la

Words: black, white, young, old,         Lafs: kaala, soofeyd, jawan, boorha,

Strong, weak, woman, man                 Bahadoor, kamzor, aurat, admi

Religion or no religion                  Mazmab ya nahi mazhag

Words seem different                     Alag lagtey hain

Emotions seem the same                   ------------------

------------------------                 Ehsaas ek hee hain

But we are one                           -------------------

---------------------                    But we are one

Hum sub ek hain                          Hum sub ek hain.