Poetry of ELis Juliana

Bola [Crystal Ball]

Den mi bola di kristal	In that crystal ball of mine
mi ta mira den futuro.	I see the things in store for me.
Den mi orea sapu ta yora	The toad is singing in my ears
un kantika di mizeria.	a song of troubling misery.
Mi ta mira mi próhimo	I see my neighbor
disfrasá na eskeleto	in a frame disguised
lorá den klechi di papel	wrapped in a blanket of paper
ta kana tene muraya.	groping along the wall.
Mi ta mira un pareha	I see a pair of lovers
ta gatia subi trapï Kranshi.	creeping up the stairs to Town Hall.
Madrina a keda ‘bou ta pela	The maid-of-honor remains below
kabaron di awa dushi.	peeling fresh water shrimps.
Mi ta mira un entiero.	I see a funeral.
Kuater homber ku machete	Four men with choppers
ta karga morto di moral	bearing the corpse of morality
lorá den blachi’ ramakoko.	wrapped in palm fronds.
Mi ta mira kakalaka sali	I see the roaches emerge
fo ‘i pipanan frusá di Isla.	from SHELL’s rusty pipes.
Un imáhen kibrá ta parti	A broken image handing out
komunion pa totolika.	communion to patient ground doves.
I den fondo leu ayá	And in the distance far away
lamá di dignidat a seka.	the sea of dignity has run dry.
Nos ta hunga ‘tapa kara’	We play together blindman’s buff
hasi bergwensa ta pa Dios.	and pass the shame onto the Lord.
[Papiamentu]

Bekita dams a kanga shimis	Lady Bekita lifted up her skirt
pronka drenta sal’i balia	And stalked into the ballroom
k’un finura k’un koketa	With a smile, with coquetry
kada paso na su tempu	With calculated steps
kada zoya na midí	And complete body control
Békitá! Békitá!	Bekita, Bekita,
Békitá! Békitá!	Bekita, Bekita.
Hernan dí: E dams akí	The gentlemen said:
ai ta flor pa hasi bunita;	This lady is just a pretty flower
yena sala ku pèrfume	filling the room with its perfume
hari saka djent’i oro	smiling and showing her golden teeth
zoya renchi di makurá	And swinging her red coral earrings
Békitá! Békitá!	Bekita, Bekita,
Békitá! Békitá!	Bekita, Bekita.
Ma or’un pachi prufiá	But when a gutsy old man
a bai lamantá Bekita	Dared to invite Bekita
pa é tuma’den k’e tumba	To join him in the tumba,
el a keda babuká	He was flabbergasted
kon e mosa tantu lesma	That such a delicate lady
por a para serená	Could sway her hips in total abandon:
Békitá Békitá	Bekita, Bekita,
pa kén b’a mirá	For whom did you take
Békitá Békitá	Bekita, Bekita
pa kén b’a tumá	Who did you think she was
Békitá Békitá	Bekita, Bekita
Békitá Békitá	Bekita, Bekita
[Papiamentu]	Bekita, Bekita

Footnotes

1. Kolokólo di mi wea (Curaçao: Scherpenheuvel, 1977), 6.

2. Bekita is the pet name of a young Jewish woman Rebecca. Although forbidden by her own social circle, Bekita slips away to join a tumba-party, which is primarily an Afro-Antillean cultural phenomenon. This Jewish woman stupefies everyone present by dancing the tumba just like any black woman would, by which she actually becomes a symbol of “creolization.” In Papiamentu, the poem has the rhythm of a Tumba (translator’s note).