Tomislav {Tommy} Andric

I am healthy and good-looking,

my wife is hot, my job is great.

I sleep well, I shouldn’t complain

‘cause food has been served on my plate.

I have a house and it’s big,

I have money, I have respect –

but all good things come with a price,

all magic has a side effect.

Somebody else is in my mind;

that hidden evil Mr. Hyde;

scary monsters from who knows where;

I think they are living inside.

Sometimes I feel I’m not myself;

sometimes I want to disappear.

What’s the point, I don’t see it;

what the fuck am I doing here?

I saw that fellow on the street,

a beggar and an amputee.

The guy looked like a joyful one;

the one that I will never be.

He seemed to have nothing at all;

nothing but an innocent smile.

How can I have that piece of mind?

to feel that joy, once in a while?

I turned white in one single night,
when you said you were leaving me –
when you said you were tired
of my daily lament.

You were my inspiration,
breaking into my world so suddenly, like a police raid.
And now for the word love
I no longer have a good rhyme.

I was prone to despair
but it was easier with a bottle of wine.
Drunk at the wheel
I drove down the wrong side of the street.

Now I live with my dog
in this eerie silence of a small apartment.
I watch him often and wonder
whose eyes are sadder?

You are leaving

and you thought you would never go.

Your street is falling asleep

as if nothing has happened;

two suitcases and your most beautiful dress;

the one you’ve kept

for special occasions.

It took time; you spent a fortune

but finally, your waiting has paid off

and your wish came true.

You have decided that your failed marriage

and its attendant horrors

should be buried and forgotten.

Well, good for you!

Your mother stays here;

she doesn’t want to leave this country –

this country soaked in the blood of her ancestors –

she will die all alone on this godforsaken island.

But the funny thing is,

tomorrow no one will care

or give a shit about you.

You will be just old news,

the last victim of a forgotten war.

Any regrets? Many –

well, let’s have one for the road.

The number of people; they just don’t care.

They sleep, they vegetate, they are not there.

Turning a blind eye, there he goes again –

tell me what’s wrong with that low-minded man?

A number of people, they just ignore –

fuck the poor and just close the bloody door.

It’s a simple rule, something they don’t know,

what you reap my dear friend is what you sow.

Those people, what they did they don’t regret,

being lazy, ignorant and things like that –

they don’t take a stand, they don’t interfere,

those people are sleeping, they are not there.

Od početka svijeta živim u ovoj rupi,  

na svakom sam uglu i u svakoj kafani; 

pola litre ljutog, kada uspijem da skupim  –

i mirno teku moji i zemaljski dani. 

Kad me lupi život i ujede k’o bjesan ker, 

izlazim vani u potragu za lijekom; 

da smirim šejtana, napojim u sebi zvijer – 

i usput, bez naknade, da dam savjet nekom. 

Please explain

how honesty is energy.

Is it really

the best policy?

Living our truth –

is it harmless?

is there rejection?

or is it an alternate reality?

Please explain

how kindness is the language

which the deaf can hear

and the blind can see?

Please explain

because I have some doubt.

Do I have to touch someone?

Do I have to reach out?

Pass it on,

it doesn’t belong to you.

Pass it on,

and you will make it through.

Pass it on,

have you ever had it shown?

Pass it on,

it was not given for you alone.

(inspired by Henry Burton, Pass it on)

Don’t give up, don’t drop the ball.

So what if you’ve hit the wall?

Say no! I don’t want to quit!

You want something? Go for it!

Feeling anxious? Let it go.

Join the army? Thanks, no.

I’m not going, count me out;

that’s what life is all about.

Your heart is your holy grail,

and your soul is not for sale.

Like a bird on a wire –

you’re free, you’re not for hire.

Say big no to all those things

that could cut off both your wings;

to lazy ones and to snobs,

boring life and boring jobs.

Enjoy and share, pluck the day,

but do it in your own way.

Say “piss off!” to all false mates,

a true one somewhere awaits.

Say no to fear, no to hope,

and try to say no to dope.

Stay awake, stay on your feet;

and your life will be complete.

I must say I am shocked;

he was a decent man.

You said he killed himself?

I do not understand.

He jumped through the window?

Impossible, no way.

He was always smiling –

I saw him yesterday.

He was a quiet guy,

the one with attitude –

honest, dedicated –

the star of neighbourhood.

We used to have a drink

and we talked about life.

He said he loved his job,

his children and his wife.

The world is getting mad,

God what is going on?

One day we are neighbours,

another we are gone.

But there is one weird thing:

the other day he said

that sometimes he can hear

the voices in his head.

Police will close the case

and clean up all the mess.

Tomorrow’s a new day;

well, life goes on, I guess.

Podigli smo barikade i trgnuli jednu ljutu –

narod se je probudio, pregazivši sve na putu.

Demonstracije predvode nekadašnji robijaši –

preko noći prosvjetljeni, sad su pravi, sad su naši.

Govornik je bio jasan, vidjelo se muda ima –

vizionar, pravovjernik, psovao je mater svima.

Malo smo se našalili, opljačkali smo dućane –

zastavu smo zapalili, temeljito, natenane.

Kad smo dobili po glavi, odnio je djavo šalu –

govornik je razgulio, naravno u ilegalu.

Prije nego zora svane parole što su na cesti –

sve slogane i banane, komunalci će pomesti.

Prije nego zora svane, da spasimo časno dupe –

vraćamo se opet nazad, bježimo u mišje rupe.