The Banished
Juan Gelman
from Com/Positions (Paris, 1984-1985)
Translated by Hardie St. Martin
they turned me out of the palace/
i didn't care/
they exiled me from my country/
i wandered over the face of the earth/
they deported me from my language/
it followed me /
you kept me away from you / and
my bones are burning out /
living flames scorch me /
i am banished from myself /
yehuda-al-harizi
(1170-1237/toledo-provence-palestine)