The ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival invites everybody to make a film of the poem [meine heimat] by Ulrike Almut Sandig. The directors of the three best films will be invited to come to Berlin to meet the poet and have the opportunity of presenting their films and talking about them.
ich habe die namen der großen vögel vergessen.
jeden juni fällt brut vom first einer scheune, die jetzt
leer steht. später im jahr stehen sie steif auf den feldern,
von der straße her flocken die kleider weiß aus, von weitem
riecht nach verscheuerten sträußen + stahl + geborstenem
gut von jenem gewitter am anderen tag: meine heimat.
in der heimat brechen sich namen an der scholle,
im wort: was dort angebaut wird, ist mir fremd.
© Ulrike Almut Sandig, Streumen, Connewitzer Verlagsbuchhandlung, Leipzig 2007.
i have forgotten the names of the large birds
each june a brood falls from the ridge of a barn that now
stands empty. later in the year they stand stiffly on the fields,
from the street the coats curdled white, from a distance
smells of cheap bouquets + steel + possessions
affected by the storm the other day: my heimat
in the heimat names break on the soil’s ridge,
in a word: what is raised there i find strange.
Translated by Bradley Schmidt
A committee will select the three best film versions of the poems from among all the entries. The directors (one person* for each film) will be invited to the festival to present their films and talk about the process of making them.
Ýou can find other translations of the poem, as well as a recording of the poet reading it and more information about her here.
* No expenses will be covered apart from travel and hotel costs.