“La Coupe” lu en française pars Leonie Jacque Dindji dans Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.“La Coupe” lu en française pars Cisse Binnie Bintou dans Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire“La Coupe” lu en française pars Guy Gnobo dans Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
The Glass Hommes de Tous les Continents by Bernard Binlin Dadié, page 11 Translations by Margaret E. Wright-Cleveland, 2016
It is your white hand From which I will take my cup of hemlock Carried by black hands. under the dark veil of shadow.
Nothing around me, when I return to the dawn No trace will point to the white finger And nothing will carry my song In the night of fire…
Africa,
Receive the beggar in your incredible breast He will love the liberty And because he will be the priest His aim is the hemlock.
There is no water that will know how to extinguish the fire that lights around your altar There is no wave that will know how to carry his love.
Africa,
Receive in your breast, the remains of beggars, your child.