William Michaelian: Seeds (ΣΠΟΡΙΑ)

“Seeds” is one of three short poems* by William Michaelian translated into Greek by poet Vassilis Zambaras. The translation first appeared in the author’s blog, Recently Banned Literature.


Seeds

While my mother
drinks her tea,
I eat a tangerine.

My dish is full
of pale-hard seeds.

She tells me
I should plant them.

I see her in a garden
on her knees,
waiting, looking down.



Καθώς η μάνα μου
πίνει το τσάι της,
τρώω ένα μανταρίνι.

Το πιάτο μου γεμάτο
χλωμά σκληρά σπόρια.

Μου λέει
πρέπει να τα σπείρω.

Την βλέπω σ’ ένα κήπο
γονατισμένη,
να περιμένει, και να κοιτάζει
κάτω.



Kathόs e mάnna mou
pinei to tsάee tis,
trόο έna mandarίni.

To piάτο mou gemάto
hlomά sklirά spόria.

Mou lέi
prέpei na ta spίro.

Tin vlέpo sέna kίpo
gonatίmeni,
Na perimέni, ke na kitάzi
kάto.


* From Another Song I Know, Cosmopsis Books (2007).

Greek translation and transliteration © 2008 by Vassilis Zambaras. Published here with the poet’s kind permission.

Vowel pronunciation guide: i as in letter “e”; e as in “eh” — without “h” sound; a as in “ma”; o as in “OK”; ou as in “balloon”.