JULY/AUGUST
2012
Essential Difference
Translated from the Greek by Cecile Inglessis Margellos and Rika Lesser
Deep down I don’t like ash
it is too intransigent
its manner conveys
a gray enmity
toward whatsoever lies close to a flame
look
it turned even fire, its own mother,
to ash
nonetheless to ash I will entrust myself
it leaves no muddy footprints
on the body
lightly you are scattered
like powder that has remained
on the face of your biography
to ash I will entrust myself
dirt is too great a burden
you can’t breathe
compressed from above too by those flowerpots
your family brings—
also heavy with all the water they drink in
you are chilled through by humidity
archenemy of your neck
but let’s suppose you do want to feel the pain
even if you don’t write it down
it will be doubly wasted
where would you write it
this blackboard
is not sky
and what remains
is not chalk.
To ashes I will give myself.
You see the world differently
when scattered from above
you breathe birds
inhale the scent of mystery
of Sacrament deeply
like ether in cotton
and like cotton it absorbs you
clouds will carry
your mementos for you
rain, umbrella, medicine, cigarettes
let’s not forget kisses
all these charred remains
in any case
indisputably through the ashes
on your charred remains
again you have lived
and again you have written
the very same things.
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About the Author
Kiki Dimoula, winner of the 2009 European Prize for Literature, is author of the forthcoming The Brazen Plagiarist.
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ΔΙΑΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΝΑΜΕΣΑ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ
DIALOGUE BETWEEN ME AND MYSELF
Σοῦ εἶπα: I told you:
- Λύγισα. -I have bent,
Καὶ εἶπες: And you said:
- Μὴ θλίβεσαι -Don’t be sad
. Ἀπογοητεύσου ἥσυχα. -Give up quietly.
Ἤρεμα δέξου νὰ κοιτᾷς Accept serenely to look
σταματημένο τὸ ρολόι. at the stopped clock.
Λογικὰ ἀπελπίσου Be rational, hope not
πῶς δὲν εἶναι ξεκούρδιστο, that it needs winding ,
ὅτι ἔτσι δουλεύει that your own time
ὁ δικός σου χρόνος. is still working.
Κι ἂν αἴφνης And if suddenly
τύχει νὰ σαλέψει the minute hand
κάποιος λεπτοδείκτης, t seems to move,
μὴ ριψοκινδυνέψεις νὰ χαρεῖς. don’t risk to rejoice.
Ἡ κίνηση αὐτὴ That movement
δὲν θά ῾ναι χρόνος. T will not be time.
Θά ῾ναι κάποιων ἐλπίδων ψευδορκίες. but false hopes.
Κατέβα σοβαρή, Solemnly come down,
νηφάλια αὐτοεκθρονίσου soberly dethrone yourself
ἀπὸ τὰ χίλια σου παράθυρα. from your thousand windows
Γιὰ ἕνα μήπως τ᾿ ἄνοιξες. you have opened none.
Κι αὐτοξεχάσου εὔχαρις. And gladly forget yourself.
Ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς, Whatever you had to say,
γιὰ τὰ φθινόπωρα, τὰ κύκνεια, about autumns , swansongs,
τὶς μνῆμες, ὑδροροὲς τῶν ἐρώτων, memories, love springs
τὴν ἀλληλοκτονία τῶν ὠρῶν, the interkilling of the hours,
τῶν ἀγαλμάτων τὴν φερεγγυότητα, the reliability of statues,
ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς γι᾿ ἀνθώπους all you had to say of humans
ποὺ σιγὰ-σιγὰ λυγίζουν, who little by little bend,
τὸ εἶπες. You’ve said it.
Poem by Kiki Dimoula
Rendition to English by Nikos Themelis
New York, January 12, 2012
ΔΙΑΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΝΑΜΕΣΑ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ
DIALOGUE BETWEEN ME AND MYSELF
Σοῦ εἶπα: I told you:
- Λύγισα. -I have bent,
Καὶ εἶπες: And you said:
- Μὴ θλίβεσαι -Don’t be sad
. Ἀπογοητεύσου ἥσυχα. -Give up quietly.
Ἤρεμα δέξου νὰ κοιτᾷς Accept serenely to look
σταματημένο τὸ ρολόι. at the stopped clock.
Λογικὰ ἀπελπίσου Be rational, hope not
πῶς δὲν εἶναι ξεκούρδιστο, that it needs winding ,
ὅτι ἔτσι δουλεύει that your own time
ὁ δικός σου χρόνος. is still working.
Κι ἂν αἴφνης And if suddenly
τύχει νὰ σαλέψει the minute hand
κάποιος λεπτοδείκτης, t seems to move,
μὴ ριψοκινδυνέψεις νὰ χαρεῖς. don’t risk to rejoice.
Ἡ κίνηση αὐτὴ That movement
δὲν θά ῾ναι χρόνος. T will not be time.
Θά ῾ναι κάποιων ἐλπίδων ψευδορκίες. but false hopes.
Κατέβα σοβαρή, Solemnly come down,
νηφάλια αὐτοεκθρονίσου soberly dethrone yourself
ἀπὸ τὰ χίλια σου παράθυρα. from your thousand windows
Γιὰ ἕνα μήπως τ᾿ ἄνοιξες. you have opened none.
Κι αὐτοξεχάσου εὔχαρις. And gladly forget yourself.
Ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς, Whatever you had to say,
γιὰ τὰ φθινόπωρα, τὰ κύκνεια, about autumns , swansongs,
τὶς μνῆμες, ὑδροροὲς τῶν ἐρώτων, memories, love springs
τὴν ἀλληλοκτονία τῶν ὠρῶν, the interkilling of the hours,
τῶν ἀγαλμάτων τὴν φερεγγυότητα, the reliability of statues,
ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς γι᾿ ἀνθώπους all you had to say of humans
ποὺ σιγὰ-σιγὰ λυγίζουν, who little by little bend,
τὸ εἶπες. You’ve said it.
Poem by Kiki Dimoula
Rendition to English by Nikos Themelis
New York, January 12, 2012
ΔΙΑΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΝΑΜΕΣΑ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ
DIALOGUE BETWEEN ME AND MYSELF
Σοῦ εἶπα: I told you:
- Λύγισα. -I have bent,
Καὶ εἶπες: And you said:
- Μὴ θλίβεσαι -Don’t be sad
. Ἀπογοητεύσου ἥσυχα. -Give up quietly.
Ἤρεμα δέξου νὰ κοιτᾷς Accept serenely to look
σταματημένο τὸ ρολόι. at the stopped clock.
Λογικὰ ἀπελπίσου Be rational, hope not
πῶς δὲν εἶναι ξεκούρδιστο, that it needs winding ,
ὅτι ἔτσι δουλεύει that your own time
ὁ δικός σου χρόνος. is still working.
Κι ἂν αἴφνης And if suddenly
τύχει νὰ σαλέψει the minute hand
κάποιος λεπτοδείκτης, t seems to move,
μὴ ριψοκινδυνέψεις νὰ χαρεῖς. don’t risk to rejoice.
Ἡ κίνηση αὐτὴ That movement
δὲν θά ῾ναι χρόνος. T will not be time.
Θά ῾ναι κάποιων ἐλπίδων ψευδορκίες. but false hopes.
Κατέβα σοβαρή, Solemnly come down,
νηφάλια αὐτοεκθρονίσου soberly dethrone yourself
ἀπὸ τὰ χίλια σου παράθυρα. from your thousand windows
Γιὰ ἕνα μήπως τ᾿ ἄνοιξες. you have opened none.
Κι αὐτοξεχάσου εὔχαρις. And gladly forget yourself.
Ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς, Whatever you had to say,
γιὰ τὰ φθινόπωρα, τὰ κύκνεια, about autumns , swansongs,
τὶς μνῆμες, ὑδροροὲς τῶν ἐρώτων, memories, love springs
τὴν ἀλληλοκτονία τῶν ὠρῶν, the interkilling of the hours,
τῶν ἀγαλμάτων τὴν φερεγγυότητα, the reliability of statues,
ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς γι᾿ ἀνθώπους all you had to say of humans
ποὺ σιγὰ-σιγὰ λυγίζουν, who little by little bend,
τὸ εἶπες. You’ve said it.
Poem by Kiki Dimoula
Rendition to English by Nikos Themelis
New York, January 12, 2012
ΔΙΑΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΝΑΜΕΣΑ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ
DIALOGUE BETWEEN ME AND MYSELF
Σοῦ εἶπα: I told you:
- Λύγισα. -I have bent,
Καὶ εἶπες: And you said:
- Μὴ θλίβεσαι -Don’t be sad
. Ἀπογοητεύσου ἥσυχα. -Give up quietly.
Ἤρεμα δέξου νὰ κοιτᾷς Accept serenely to look
σταματημένο τὸ ρολόι. at the stopped clock.
Λογικὰ ἀπελπίσου Be rational, hope not
πῶς δὲν εἶναι ξεκούρδιστο, that it needs winding ,
ὅτι ἔτσι δουλεύει that your own time
ὁ δικός σου χρόνος. is still working.
Κι ἂν αἴφνης And if suddenly
τύχει νὰ σαλέψει the minute hand
κάποιος λεπτοδείκτης, t seems to move,
μὴ ριψοκινδυνέψεις νὰ χαρεῖς. don’t risk to rejoice.
Ἡ κίνηση αὐτὴ That movement
δὲν θά ῾ναι χρόνος. T will not be time.
Θά ῾ναι κάποιων ἐλπίδων ψευδορκίες. but false hopes.
Κατέβα σοβαρή, Solemnly come down,
νηφάλια αὐτοεκθρονίσου soberly dethrone yourself
ἀπὸ τὰ χίλια σου παράθυρα. from your thousand windows
Γιὰ ἕνα μήπως τ᾿ ἄνοιξες. you have opened none.
Κι αὐτοξεχάσου εὔχαρις. And gladly forget yourself.
Ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς, Whatever you had to say,
γιὰ τὰ φθινόπωρα, τὰ κύκνεια, about autumns , swansongs,
τὶς μνῆμες, ὑδροροὲς τῶν ἐρώτων, memories, love springs
τὴν ἀλληλοκτονία τῶν ὠρῶν, the interkilling of the hours,
τῶν ἀγαλμάτων τὴν φερεγγυότητα, the reliability of statues,
ὅ,τι εἶχες νὰ πεῖς γι᾿ ἀνθώπους all you had to say of humans
ποὺ σιγὰ-σιγὰ λυγίζουν, who little by little bend,
τὸ εἶπες. You’ve said it.
Poem by Kiki Dimoula
Rendition to English by Nikos Themelis
New York, January 12, 2012
ΔΙΑΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΝΑΜΕΣΑ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΜΕΝΑ
DIALOGUE BETWEEN ME AND MYSELF
I told you:
-I have bent,
And you said:
-Don’t be sad
-Give up quietly.
Accept serenely to look
at the stopped clock.
Be rational, hope not
that it needs winding ,
that your own time
is still working.
And if suddenly
the minute hand
seems to move,
. don’t risk to rejoice.
That movement
will not be time.
but false hopes.
Solemnly come down
soberly dethrone yourself
. from your thousand windows
you have opened none.
And gladly forget yourself.
Whatever you had to say,
about autumns , swansongs,
memories, love springs
the fratricide of the hours,
the reliability of statues,
all you had to say of humans
who little by little bend,
You’ve said it.
Poem by Kiki Dimoula
Rendition to English by Nikos Themelis
New York, January 12, 2012