(a greeting)

Twenty years before
the first multiparty elections
as I watched the sweltering road
along the seacoast get rolled up
on the wheels like spaghetti
next to my father’s sweaty shoulder
I was taking lessons in life
I wondered
why he (for no obvious reason)
was honking now and then
to the approaching cars
and why they honked to us
without any reason, either
We’re greeting each other
he said
They’re from Sarajevo too
I was satisfied with the explanation
and often reminded him to greet
a passing hometown license plate
I wish I could travel again
along a sweltering road
somewhere
anywhere
it doesn’t really matter after all
and honk in passing
to people from Sarajevo
people from Sarajevo
Trying to explain to someone
who really
really wants to listen
wants to hear
why I keep on
blowing my horn.

© 1996 Marko Čejović
Translation by Wayles Browne and Sasha Skenderija – © 2008 Wayles Browne and Sasha Skenderija

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