To Burn or Not to Burn is a bilingual tanka (5-7-5-7-7 syllables) by Gabriel Rosenstock in response to
artwork by Banksy.
To Burn or Not to Burn
tá sé ag éirí fuar
níl mórán fágtha le dó
bratach mo thíre?
tar éis a bhfuil déanta aici
ar mo shonsa ‘is ar son an domhain!
brr . . .it’s getting cold
not much left to burn ’round here
the flag? you jokin’!
after all my country’s done
for me and for the whole world!
Julian Assange
Bhís gach áit, tráth
Nach mór id’ dhia, uileláithreach, gach áit
Cá bhfuilir anois?
Níl fáil ar íomhánna úra díot
Ag iompú id’ dhia ataoi
Dofheicthe, thar m’eolas
Julian Assange
You were everywhere once
Something of a god, omnipresent, ubiquitous
Where are you now?
There are no recent images
You are becoming a god
Invisible, unknowable
Gabriel Rosenstock
