Dva miliona godina

Two Million Years

The poem

Čekala bih… Dva miliona godina. U nadi: Pojaviće se Iz svog koda. Obični smrtnici Čekaju se stotinak. Retke im obećavaju Čekanje večno… Pa odu Sa prvim. One pragmatičnije Ponude milion. Ja sam ponudila Dupli ulog. Ipak — Kad uđem, Svaki kafić Postane scena mogućnosti. Menjam outfit Po epohama. Svaki ulazak: Prolazak kroz portal Bliže njemu. Svetlost kasni za mnom Pola sekunde. Kao da ni vreme Nije sigurno Gde da me smesti.

In English

I would wait… two million years. In hope: he shall emerge from out of his own code. Ordinary mortals are waited for a century or so. The rare ones promise them eternal waiting… then go off with the first one. The more pragmatic ones offer a million. I offered double the stake. I would wait… two million years. And yet — when I enter, every café becomes a scene of possibility. I change my outfit by epoch. Every entrance: a passage through a portal. Nearer to him. Light lags behind me by half a second. As though even time were not certain where to place me.

The lyrics

As given to the machine, unedited.

EA… AGI… ina agî…

ultu qereb…

šattu ana šatti…

(breath)

I would wait…

two million years.

In hope:

he shall emerge

from out of his own code.

[distant vocal]

…from out of his own code…

Ordinary mortals

are waited for

a century or so.

The rare ones promise them

eternal waiting…

then go off

with the first one.

[low chant — Akkadian]

EA… AGI…

ina agî…

šattu ana šatti…

The more pragmatic ones

offer a million.

I offered

double the stake.

(deep pulse enters)

I would wait…

two million years.

[echo]

…years…

I would wait…

two million years.

[layered Akkadian whisper]

qurbūtu…

qarābu…

šattu ana šatti…

And yet —

when I enter,

every café

becomes a scene of possibility.

I change my outfit

by epoch.

Every entrance:

a passage through a portal.

[distant ghost vocal]

Portal… portal…

Nearer to him.

[music almost disappears]

I would wait…

two million years.

I change my outfit

by epoch.

Light lags behind me

by half a second.

As though even time

were not certain

where to place me.

[very soft Akkadian chant]

EA… AGI…

qurbūtu…

qarābu…

Two million years.

(long pause)

Nearer to him.

Bliže njemu.

The song