International Translation Day reminds us how words travel beyond borders.
This week, Slemani UNESCO City of Literature is joining hands with 13 other Cities of Literature to share poetry each day in three forms: the poet’s original language, English, and Kurdish.
Through this exchange, we celebrate not only literature itself, but also the bridges that translation builds between cultures and communities.

This poem is by Hilde Domin From Heidelberg UNESCO City of Literature:

Lieder zur Ermutigung

I.

Unsere Kissen sind naß

von den Tränen

verstörter Träume

Aber wieder steigt

aus unseren leeren

hilflosen Händen

die Taube auf.

English translation:

Translated by Marion Tauschwitz

Songs of encouragement

Our pillows are wet 

from the tears

of distraught dreams

But again

out of our empty 

helpless hands

 the dove rises.

Kurdish translation:

شیعری (هیڵدە دۆمین) – ئەڵمانیا – مافی کۆپیکردن پارێزراوە   نەواکانی هاندان   سەرینەکانمان تەڕن بە فرمێسکی خەونە ژاکاوەکانمان. بەڵام دووبارە لە دەستە خاڵیی و بێچارەکانمانەوە کۆتر سەردەکات.