Two poems by Macedonian poet Blaže Pavlovski, translated by Kristian Josifoski. The original Macedonian follows the English translation.
Awakening
1
I awake.
The thunderstorm in the yard breaks a few branches.
The earth yellows from the fruits.
Who shall I call to be with me?
My dream has turned into a blackbird.
2
It has dawned.
I hear someone from the sky speak.
The sky is only stars and moonlight.
I cannot look,
a dream has set my eyes on fire,
and how I looked forward to the stars.
Budenje
1
Se budam.
Lunja vo dvorot skrshila nekolku granki.
Zholtee zemjata od plodovi.
Kogo da povikam da bide zaedno so mene
Sonot mi se pretvoril vo crna ptica.
2
Se razmugrilo.
Slusham nekoj kon neboto zboruva
Neboto e samo dzvezdi i mesechina.
Ne mozham da progledam
Nekoj v son mi gi zapalil ochive
A kolku mnogu im se raduvav na dzezdite.
Burning Shadows
We stand.
A few shadows
wait around for sunset.
We leave red branches on the sand.
Someone will not allow us to forget—
we are fed with sounds from a guitar.
We stand naked.
We do not wait for anyone.
We cast our shadows over the river
stretched out for one afternoon.
Who shall we pray to?
Bitterness dries our throats;
we feel the earth under our eyes—
it hurts us.
Everything by us burns,
in the distance a trembling;
it seems the mountain flower prays for a drop of dew
from our pale pupils.
The wind sends a wildfire to our bodies.
With our palms we try to make a shade for this
afternoon—
Our palms are small.
Who shall we pray to?
Quietly, someone’s death comes.
Zapaleni Senki
Stoime.
Nekolku senki naokolu
Chekaat zajdisonce.
Crveni stapalki ostavame po pesokot.
Nekoj né ne ostava sosema da zaboravime—
Né rani so zvuci od gitara.
Stoime razgoleni.
Nikogo ne chekame.
Nad rekata gi podavame svoite senki
Izdolzheni za edno pladne.
Komu da se molime?
Gorchina ni se sushi vo grlata;
Pod ochite ja chustvuvame zemjata—
Né boli.
Sé kraj nas gori;
Treperat dalechinite
Chinish gorocvet za kapka rosa se moli
Vo nashite zenici bledi.
Veterot pozhar nosi nad nashite tela.
Se obiduvame od dlanki da napravime senka za ova
pladne—
Mali se dlankite nashi.
Komu da se molime?
Nechija smrt tivko ‘rti.
About the Author
Little is known about Macedonian poet Blaže Pavlovski. In 1960 he published “Shadows on the Stone” (Senki na Kamenot), a small collection of surreal lyric and narrative poems.
About the Translator
Kristian Josifoski is a composer and poet based in Boston. He holds degrees from Valparaiso University (B.A. and B.M.) and the New England Conservatory (M.M. in Music Composition). His poems have appeared in The Lighter. Kristian’s music has been performed by renowned artists such as Spektral Quartet, Amy Williams, loadbang, and Katharina Uhde.
