The Art of Marxism: poetry

The Japanese Fisherman

by Nāzım Hikmet Ran


The Japanese fisherman slain by a cloud
Was yet but a youth as he sailed in its lee
I heard this song sung by his friends not loud,
As the yellow light went on the Pasific Sea

We fished a fish, who eats it dies,
Who touches my hand, of that he dies.
This, our boat, is a coffin cold
Who steps on board, in boarding dies.

We fished the fish whose eater dies,
Not all at once, but bit by bit,
His flesh goes black, breaks sores and rots
We fished a fish, who eats it dies.

Who touches my hand, of that he dies,
This hand that served me once so well,
Bathed in salt and sound with the sun.

Who touches my hand, of that he dies,
Not all at once, but bit by bit,
His flesh goes black, breaks sores and rots...
Who touches my hand, of that he dies.

Forget me, love with almond eyes,
This our boat, is a coffin cold.
Who steps on board, in boarding dies...
The cloud has passed and told our doom.

Forget me, love with almond eyes,
My rose, you must not kiss my lips,
Death, would wander from me to you,
Forget me, love with almond eyes.

This our boat, is a coffin cold.
Forget me, love with almond eyes
The child that you might have of me,
Would rot within, a rotted egg.

This our boat, is a coffin cold.
The sea we sail is a dead sea.
Oh, mankind, where are you,
where are you?

                                  1956