Margarita Zorbala / Μαργαρίτα Ζορμπαλά

In the cold, in the sharp night and frosty morning
this girl of mine, is sinking
sobbing blankets her

Dry, cold wilds gushed down
three boys are playing dice
the girl is crying like Christ

She gets drunk and a mad spring opens
the mouth becomes a wound
she has made hate into a charm
and plays “hide-and-seek” with death

She has ribbons on her hair
and on her body, thousands of leeches
and at her side, Charon (Death) is bent over

From her eyes, two drops
and from her hands more are falling
anguish strikes like lightning

Who gave her the knife ?
Which wind will bring her
to make the black sky sparkle?

With the knife she cuts the silence
like stone she is sullen
she weaves her hands, making a prayer
who will be giving her a wish ?

In the cold, in the sharp night and frosty morning
this girl of mine is frightened
running in the rain, dead

Μες στο κρύο μες στ’ αγιάζι
το κορίτσι μου τρομάζει
πεθαμένο τρέχει στη βροχή.

Where pennyroyal and wild mint grew
and the earth sprouted her first primrose
now peasants bargain for cement
and the birds drop dead by the chimney

Sleep, Persephone*
in the earth’s embrace
come out no more
to the balcony of the world

Where the mystics joined hands
reverently before they entered the sacrificial site
now the tourists throw away cigarette butts
and go to see the new refinery.

Sleep, Persephone*
in the earth’s embrace
come out no more
to the balcony of the world

Where the sea became a blessing
and the bleatings of the field where a bounty
now trucks carry to the shipyards
empty bodies, children of scrap metal and plate.

Sleep, Persephone*
in the earth’s embrace
come out no more
to the balcony of the world

(*In Greek mythology Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, goddess of plant life and agriculture. Persephone was abducted by Hades, god of the Underworld, who wanted to marry her. It was eventually arranged that Persephone would spend the autumn and winter with Hades and be allowed to return to her mother every spring and summer. This myth was used to explain why no plants grow for six months every year: Demeter mourns for her daughter.)

Κοιμήσου Περσεφόνη
στην αγκαλιά της γης
στου κόσμου το μπαλκόνι
ποτέ μην ξαναβγείς.

Beneath my clothes it no longer beats
my heart of a child
I forgot the love that is only love
day and night turning about
without finding you before me
white horizon of the lightning flash and the dream

I felt my chest break at your departure
soul of my vagrant love
blade of my inexorable passion
lone conqueror of my thought

(translation: Eva Johanos)

The Pleiades,* who has seven children
passes through the heavens;
one day she stops for a little while
at my poor little house and knocks:

-’Greetings,** how are you, are you well?’
-’I am well. And how are the children?’
-’What can I tell you, there, on high
they are devoured by the cold air and isolation.’

-’Is that the reason for your bitterness, my lady?
Why don’t you send them down here to me?’
-’Thank you, but they are many;
they will eat you out of house and home.’

-’Well then, just give me the littlest one,
shining Magic.’
-’Take her, and remember
that you are the husband of the sky’
She said, and before I could speak
she pins her to my hair.

They are shining, the mountains all around;
My hands are full of fire-
and the Pleiades, who has seven children
departs, and waves goodbye

(translation: Eva Johanos
*”Poulia,” is the nickname for the
constellation “the Pleiades,”
and is a singular, feminine proper noun.
The word may also refer to a sequin or
spangle, a sparkling ornament.
**”Yeia sas”- traditional greeting,
literally, “To your health”)