Alkinoos Ioannidis / Αλκίνοος Ιωαννίδης

Go to sleep [Nani], sleep sleep na na na…..
my little child na na na…..
May it go to sleep, the child
and sleep sweetly….

A butterfly will place you on her wings
to take you into her velvet dreams
in light veils, in feathery forests,
she will lay you down and cover you

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Στης νύχτας το μετέωρο
τα χέρια σου θ’ αγγίξω
κι όσα δε τόλμησα ποτέ
θα σου τα ψιθυρίσω.

When I get out of this prison, nobody will be waiting for me
the roads will be empty, and my city even stranger to me
all the cafes will be closed, and all my friends will be abroad
the wind will be dragging me, when I get out of this prison

And the sun will fall asleep, on Olynthos’ remains
my friends and enemies will look as they came from a myth
orators and thiefs will stand in fornt of me, stoned-dead
beggers and prostitutes, will stand in front of me, stoned-dead

I’ll stand in front of the gate, with the blankets under my arm
and moving my head slowly, I will bid the guard farewell
with no will, no god, like a king in an ancient tragedy
I will say the word and the letter, I will stand in front of the gate

He who hung the sun
On the middle column of the sky
now hangs on the wood
merciful, Lord, of the race.And in the thorny bushes of the desert
a mother cried, “my child.”

With the ancient magic of April
with the kiss of the daemons
an owl came into the house
a crow came into the courtyard
and all the wild beasts of the valley
took the road to Hades.

He will sow summer again
in the wild frozen places of the mind
He who nailed the stars
in the holy covering of the sky
and I and you, and we and the others
will then be born again.

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Θα ξανασπείρει καλοκαίρια
στην άγρια παγωνιά του νου
Αυτός που κάρφωσε τ’ αστέρια
στην άγια σκέπη τ’ ουρανού
κι εγώ κι εσύ, και εμείς κι οι άλλοι
θα γεννηθούμε τότε πάλι.

The spirits are returning back at nightfall
little dim lights of unredeemed enslaved souls
and if you look up at the embattlements
you’ll notice human forms staring down at you

And then a grievance takes you over
and makes you wonder in the narrow streets
Istanbul a lover girl of yours of old
whom you meet again now held in strange arms

I want to drink the whole of Bosporus
the frontiers of the world are changing inside me

I found her in the verses of the poems
living along fat and chunky Hanum girls
and in the firearms’ mouth-opening I throw
my hollow truth the half baked truth of mine

I want to drink the whole of Bosporus
the frontiers of the world are changing inside me

I passed by your neighborhood yesterday
and stopped for a moment.
Your mother was preparing your dowry
and everything reminded celebration.

Not to betray myself I entered the coffehouse,
but there, they were treating the groom.
Two recognized me from the company,
and they stood me, in secret, a drink.

Inside me a blues song was crying,
and you were making yourself up in pink.
I have neither a body nor a soul,
like a silver string
I will break in your longing.

Inside me a blues song was crying,
and you were making yourself up in pink.

Which witch has taken away your mind,
what reasons brought you there?
Did you want it or they forced it to you
some bosom enemies?

Kostis told me “Go away,
to avoid carnage happening today.”
But this wound, this wound, how does it heal,
tell me friend, to save me.

Inside me a blues song was crying,
and you were making yourself up in pink.
I have neither a body nor a soul,
like a silver string
I will break in your longing.

Inside me a blues song was crying,
and you were making yourself up in pink.