Yiannis Nikolaou / Γιάννης Νικολάου

Everything, they tell me, man can withstand,
pain and loneliness, as long as he believes it.

Time brings us to forget and closes our wounds,
but my own wound it leaves unhealed.

But I haven’t seen her in years, it has been years since I spoke to her;
however I could never erase the thought of her.

I never speak about her, I never ask,
but she comes into my dream and suddenly I awaken.

Everything, they tell me, man can overcome,
he can even go to death and come back.

If as they say time cause memory to fade,
why does the thought of her embrace me at night?

(translation: Eva Johanos)

You cannot, in the moon
find a single flaw
because he scatters beauty
over creation every evening

I envy the moon
as he wanders everywhere
because he sees the one I love
as she goes in the night

As you go through her door
My moon, stop
greet her for me, and then
continue on your road
greet her for me, and then
continue on your road

My sun, I ask of you
to set quickly
that the moon not see the dawn
because you will envy him

My moon, the road of the sky
lower a bit
to shine, so my love
can arrive at her house

As you pass through her door,
my moon, remember
so many nights we spent
she and I, with you
so many nights we spent
she and I, with you

As you pass through her door,
my moon, remember
so many nights we spent
she and I, with you
so many nights we spent
she and I, with you

(translation: Eva Johanos)

I stand, since you left, alone in the time and weather,
with your name like a talisman, and myrrh, and a knife.

I stand on the dark doorstep of despair
heavily, heavily I balance myself on the edges of the abyss.

The day is an enemy, and the night a traitor,
with tears and nostalgia they wage a cruel war with me…
the day is an enemy, and the night a traitor,
with wishes and dreams altogether they beset me.

I stand, since you left, alone in the time and weather,
with your name like a talisman, and myrrh, and a knife.

In the wind and in the silence like a rose in vain,
plucking the petals from the tender hope of your love.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

What perfume watered your mouth, your kiss
that the wind that came with you was intoxicated?
Intoxicated, also the sea, the earth which holds you,
the spark in your gaze gives birth to a thousand fires.

And I bloom like a rose,
when I speak of you,
soft light of the early evening,
like a sweet fairytale.

What spring brought me to the garden of your heart,
and I become a little child when I find myself near you?
A thousand songs I wrote, in order to paint a portrait of you,
but words do not exist, for me to speak of you.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Once upon a time there was, they say, white like salt
and she lived in an imaginary world, a fairy in a palace.
And somewhere nearby in the marketplace, with a broad knife in his sheath
the one with eyes like flames, the first pallikari.*

High up there flew an eagle, who measured the shadows,
when he gave her a kiss, on her hibiscus lips.
They saw him, however, the beasts, from high above the castles
and pierced with arrows his white clothing.

Once upon a time there was, they say, of an ochre color like gold
a fairy in the waters, in the deeps of the river.
And somewhere there in the sky, with a kiss on his life
he like a star full of light gave his light to her.

(translation: Eva Johanos
*pallikari- brave, handsome young man)