One Nation Under CCTV
Gabriel Rosenstock presents a bilingual tanka in Irish and English, the 31 syllables configured as 5-7-5-7-7, written in response to the above work of street art by Banksy.
i am watching You
Beloved, You're watching me
they are watching us
keep Your eyes open, won't you
when You're awake and asleep
táim ag faire ort
taoise ag faire ormsa
táid ag faire orainn
coinnigh do shúile ar oscailt
id' dhúiseacht duit is fá shuan
Gabriel Rosenstock's latest free book of tanka is available here
Gabriel Rosenstock
Gabriel Rosenstock was born in postcolonial Ireland and is a poet, haikuist, tankaist, translator, playwright, novelist, short story writer and essayist.