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Sensemaya (Song for the Killing of a Snake)

;Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
;Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
;Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!

Snake has eyes of glass;
snake comes and coils on a branch;
with its eyes of glass, on a branch,
with its eyes of glass.
Snake walks down without feet;
snake hides in the green;
walking it hides in the green,
walking without feet.

;Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
;Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!
;Mayombe—bombe—mayombé!

Strike it with the hatchet, and it dies:
strike it now!
Don't strike it with your foot, it will bite you,
don't strike it with your foot, it will escape!


translated by Juan Felipe Herrera

From: 
Resistencia: Poems of Protest and Revolution
Copyright ©: 
2020, Tin House, Portland, Oregon




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