Nights and days
On September 23 ten years had passed since the Swedish journalist Dawit Isaak and his colleagues at the Eritrean newspaper Seitit was imprisoned by the Afwerki regime. Today he is being held at the notorious “death camp” Eira Eiro outside of Asmara. The Isaak case has received enormous attention far beyond Sweden. We've asked two well-known Swedish poets, Ida Börjel and Lars Mikael Raattamaa, to write a poem in solidarity to Isaak. Poetry recognizes no borders at all.First out is Lars Mikael Raattamaa.
Located at a road crossing. There is a house in each one of the four corners where the roads meet. In the corner of each house is a place – store, restaurant, dance parlor, workshop, pillar foundation – as open against the roads as possible. All windows and doors are open. Shutters and sliding doors are pulled aside and folded away. All curtains and tarpaulins are rolled up or tied to the sides. Where the house is on pillars, the ground facing the road has been cleared. In each house there is a reader. If there are more than four readers they are standing in one group or more, in one corner or more. A; B; C; D. If any corner where the roads meet lack a house or another building the reader or readers stand on the ground. Where no roads meet, the readers stand in the crossing of two rivers, two railroads or two ropeways. The readers each read one of the words in the lines of four, however no crossed out words. Sometimes they read in time, sometimes out of time. Intonation, pitch, timbre and intensity vary throughout the reading. In the lines with only one word, or with more than four words, the readers read the words in unison, with differing or similar voices.
nails fingers eyes ear
freed ome
needles cords lamp water
f reeedom
grater gums toes nose
fereedo m
plate spray-can lemon thumb
efree dom
computer light door window
nails fingers eyes ear
freedoe m
back tweezers tendons knives
fre ee dom
salt shaker tongs ankle board
needles cords lamp water
grater gums toes nose
fer eedom
cigarettes fire instep fingers
fr eeedo m
mixer cheek tooth clips
freedo me
rocks arms clothes bag
plate spray-can lemon thumb
freeed om
carpets strings palm cheese-slicer
computer light door window
fe reedom
steel nails forks heel
free doe m
wall kneecap batteries light-bulbs
back tweezers tendons knives
salt shaker tongs ankle board
f ereedom
thigh dogs stomach mouth
cigarettes fire instep fingers
free doem
elbow index finger hair bottom
fre eed om
drills spoons bottle syringes
mixer cheek tooth clips
freedo em
fabric chins flag safety pin
fr ee edom
wheels ropes big toe ankle bones
rocks arms clothes bag
carpets strings palm cheese-slicer
freeed om
cloth music foreheads shoulder
steel nails forks heel
wall kneecap batteries light-bulbs
thigh dogs stomach mouth
fe reedo m
shin rib breast nipple
elbow index finger hair bottom
free dome
radio belt girdle hip
drills spoons bottle syringes
fabric chins flag safety pin
free dom e
knuckle braids eyelid fork
wheels ropes big toe ankle bones
cloth music foreheads shoulder
freedo me
table soil walls glass
shin rib breast nipple
f ereedom
chair dicks coffee hot plate
radio belt girdle hip
fer eedom
navels knee pit cheek knitting needles
freeed om
cabinet dish liquor tongues
knuckle braids eyelid fork
fr ee edom
mirrors pen necks carver
table soil walls glass
ef reedo m
eyebrow ice tub shower
fr eedeom
fist skull faucet pots
chair dicks coffee hot plate
freed ome
noses anus skin tongs
navels knee pit cheek knitting needles
cabinet dish liquor tongues
freeedo m
padlock cardboard calves pump
mirrors pen necks carver
eyebrow ice tub shower
free dom e
hangers hook pots groin
fist skull faucet pots
noses anus skin tongs
padlock cardboard calves pump
freed eom
toilets butter-knife thermometer throat
hangers hook pots groin
toilets butter-knife thermometer throat
free edom
armpit skin fold cunt collar bone
armpit skin fold cunt collar bone
f reedome
cups scissors pupils saucer
free edom
tinplates candle elbow head
cups scissors pupils saucer
feree omd
strainer palate fingertips little toe
f reee dom
mill press oil pans
tinplates candle elbow head
strainer palate fingertips little toe
fre eed om
lid phone testicles tape
mill press oil pans
lid phone testicles tape
earlobe little finger cheekbone leg
free doem
earlobe little finger cheekbone leg
bowl teapots rolling pin shoehorn
hole punch foot soles shoulders arch
fereed om
bowl teapots rolling pin shoehorn
freedo em
hole punch foot soles shoulders arch
pitcher flashlights lips eyebrows
fe reedom
pitcher flashlights lips eyebrows
feet jaws straw cling wrap
cork funnel dough hook ladles
freeed om
feet jaws straw cling wrap
fr ee doem
cork funnel dough hook ladles
barrels sack craniums corner of the eye
freedo em
barrels sack craniums corner of the eye
freed ome
f reeedom fereedo m efree dom freedoe m
free ed om fer eedom fr eeedo m freedom e freeed om fe reedom free edo m f ereedom free doem fre eed om freedo em fr ee edom freeed om fe reedo m free dome free dom e freedo me f ereedom fer eedom freeed om fr ee edom ef reedo m fr eeedom freed ome freeedo m free dom e freed eom free edo m f reedome free edom feree omd f reee dom fre eed om free doem fereed om freedo em fe reed
