Dimitris Poulikakos / Δημήτρης Πουλικάκος

For how much longer the lies, our children will die
for how much longer will they extinguish our dreams
until when, this life of brutality
and until when, the epoch of the state’s lust for terror

That’s enough now! That’s enough! It can’t go on!

To where is this mockery going?
for how much longer the ignorance, the apathy, for how much longer the malakia*
and the impunity
until when, man, will we just suck it up
and until when do they they want us to push the mule uphill?

That’s enough now! That’s enough! It can’t go on!

Until when, brave lads, will we live in the narrow spaces**
and when tell me when, will we go out to the mountains again
Rigas*** yells from his grave, “until when this disgrace?”
the fish got too spoiled from the head****

That’s enough now! That’s enough! It can’t go on!

Attack in our houses, reality stars
and we don’t understand it, not even with bullets*****
to the slaughter, in the sheepfold, and behind the ram
to run like sheep, we haven’t a clue

That’s enough now! That’s enough! It can’t go on!

The seas sigh, the forests, the rivers,
they’ve made a mess of it, the contractors’ tentacles
black clouds have covered over and a storm is approaching
time is fleeting, disappearing, the time is now!

That’s enough now! That’s enough I say! That’s enough!
It can’t go on!******

(translation:Eva Johanos
*malakia ~ literally, masturbation; colloquial expression for stupid, useless and/or self-serving behavior
**references in these lines to the famous War Song of the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, which exhorts the kleftes/robbers to fight for freedom, claiming that it is better to live free for a moment than for a long time in slavery
***Rigas Ferraios of Velestino, the composer of the War Song, an early Greek patriot and martyr
****variant of an expression about how a country or other organization is corrupted and ruined by bad leadership
*****expression meaning not even in extreme circumstances
******adding onto the chorus with expletives)

I exist
and as long as you exist, I exist
your life is my slave
Even as we go our separate ways.

I exist
In your crying eyes
In your burning lips
and I’ll exist in the songs that you listen to

I’m the one of your life
No one can extinguish me
Even if you talk with someone else
and laugh for hours
deep down you’ll hurt
because you’re thinking of me

I’m the beginning and the end
And put it in your head
even if you get involved with someone
In a little time
You’ll break up because
I’ll exist

I exist
In your happiness and sadness
My image will not leave you
And will never be forgotten.

I exist
in the luck that you curse,
In your head that dizzies
with cigarettes, memories and booze

I am

Wherever there is heart and soul, we’ve buried it all
and whoever resists, he has to stop,
sweet is the ascent, but its reward
daughter without result, vain her form

We kill eros and life
with our doings
and we live in lies
we and our children

Father made the son to resemble the father
and whoever works for them, never sees a good day;
faces without name and with no character
who drink our blood for a glass of beer.

We kill eros and life
with our doings
and we live in lies
we and our children

Eyes in which we see misery, fear, sorrow
and saving for a lifetime, with checks of sepsis,
ah, when one day the rooster before he begins to crow
may be become men again and may we have awoken

We kill eros and life
with our doings
and we live in lies
we and our children

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Don’t believe them, whatever they say
they all have wicked intentions
and if they curse you and foam at the mouth
about how my mind is elsewhere

They sell seaweed as silk ribbons
tonight I am leaving, telling you crazy things
it started drizzling, Martha and our umbrellas were closed
yes, don’t believe them, for silk ribbons

And when they knock at your door late at night
with the smile and the polite words
show them your teeth, so they’ll have something to talk about
behave, be careful, don’t forget

They sell seaweed as silk ribbons
tonight I am leaving, telling you crazy things
it started drizzling, Martha and our umbrellas were closed
yes, don’t believe them, for silk ribbons

You know it, babe, how they will bother you
however, we don’t have a lot to lose
so pretend not to notice, say “yes”
since they say one thing and do another

(translation: Eva Johanos)