Thursday 29 September 2016

Vesna Krmpotic - Poetry in Croatian and English - JCS 21


VESNA KRMPOTIC
Born 1932
Born in Dubrovnik, lived in Zagreb. Now lives mostly abroad. Her books of poetry are:
POEZIJA [Poetry] 1956, PLAMEN I SVIJECA [The Flame and the Candle] 1962, JAMA BIČA [The Pit of Being] 1965, RASKORAK [Being Out of Step] 1965, KRASNA NESUGLASJA [Magnificent Disharmonies] 1965, ČAS JE, OZIRISE [Now It Is Time, Osiris] 1976, LIVANICA ZA IGORA [Magic for Igor] 1978.

MRTVI PADAJU

THE DEAD ONES FALL

Mrtvi padaju kroz nas u vječno.
Ja sam taj vječni živi pad.
Jer nitko se neće roditi
tko nije od moje krvi;
i nitko se nije rodio
tko nije bio moj otac.

The dead ones fall through us into eternity.
I am that eternal living falling.
For nobody will be born
who is not of my blood;
and nobody has been born
who was not my father.

Mrtvi se penju kroz nas u vječno.
Ja sam taj vječni živi rast.
O moj maleni trag
produžuje svemir.

The dead ones climb through us into eternity.
I am that eternal living growing.
O my little trace
extends the universe.




VLAT I JA

THE LEAF OF GRASS AND I

Tko si ti, mala vlati, tko sam ja?
Zašto ti, mala vlati, zašto ja?
Promijenimo se, mala vlati, ja i ti,
budi ti, mala vlati, što sam ja,
da te pitam, mala vlati, tko si ti,
što mi radiš u tom polju, vlati, ti,
i tko sam ti, mala vlati, tko si ja?

Who are you, little leaf of grass, who am I?
Why you, little leaf of grass, why me?
Let us change about, little leaf of grass, you and I,
and you be me, little leaf of grass, and I be you,
let me ask you, little leaf of grass, who are you,
and what do you do in that field, little leaf of grass,
and who am I to you, little leaf of grass, who are you, myself?

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