Notis Mavroidis / Νότης Μαυρουδής

The day breaks and the city has the day off.
In our neighboorhood a chimney is smoking,
and I am searching for you, like a morning cigarette
and like bitter coffee, and like bitter coffee

The streets are empty, not a soul appeared,
and the moon has just been lost in the West,
and I am looking for you, like a destined solution
and like the sunrise, and like the sunrise.

The sun comes up, the radio is on full blast
with a hasapiko which is crying for some Taso
And I, I make my bet with you, and afterwards, I pass,
in a card game of blind men, four of a kind.

Βγήκε ο ήλιος το ράδιο διαπασών
μ’ ένα χασάπικο που κλαίει για κάποιον Τάσο
κι εγώ σε ποντάρω κι ύστερα πάω πάσο
σ’ ένα καρέ τυφλών σ’ ένα καρέ τυφλών

Each and every night is just a page
inside the closed book of our life,
where every word has stolen a hope away
and has been written with a sob instead of ink…

And what is a night worth in all the centuries
and how can you deny me…
we are the two of us in the world like two drops
and you seek a sea to lose yourself…

Each and every night is just a page
which needs courage and heart to be written,
but you are scared, you can’t [stand] the storm
and leave the page behind you, blank…

And what is a night worth in all the centuries
and how can you deny me…
we are the two of us in the world like two drops
and you seek a sea to lose yourself…

Here I will cast into the sea
like stones the years I spent
Here the wave will bring me
a letter that will have in it an action verb
and it will shine at the end the signature:
Kolokotronis, Makroyiannis, Friendlies.*

We will find each other again
when everything will have passed away.
To the homeland kisses
and courage, say, that she doesn’t forget.
We will find each other again
when everything will have changed
We will find each other again.

Here my ancient sea
you know what tortures I have been through
Here the wind will send me
a letter from the unseen places
the lost word, the most warm:
Seferis, Kalvos, Embirikos, Solomos.**

[translation: Eva Johanos
*Kolokotronis, Makroyiannis, Friendlies: leaders, fighters in the Greek War of Independence
**Greek writers]