PATRITSIA KOLAITI

The Works of Men

They live among rocks
and turn into stones

Into water,
that rain should not peck them

For they
have no other skin to change
except that
inside them.

Translated by Yiannis Goumas

Rose-Coloured Fear

It was always me.
The amusing, melancholy tree

But Asiya-khan was not my mistress

It was for you
I lit
the stars in winter.

Translated by Yiannis Goumas

Farewell My Concubine

Mother,

The water is iced.

The wind

is stronger than the tide.

Translated by Yiannis Goumas

PHANTASMAGORIA

I

So far so good
With the missing extremity
The phantom limb

Now what

II

The wind howled all night long
The house shot through with holes
Constantly tried to cover you up
And the covers kept slipping on the floor
Made as if to caress you
But with what

III

This is a long journey ahead of us
And maybe because at heart I remain
that «little girl without a leg
holding onto a cane» I call out for you
And you are nowhere to be seen
I trace your outline
Though you are not there
As if this verdant place of ours
Was just a mirage
To start with

ΙV

This is why I would like
« Just for tonight, doctor, if possible
to take my hand home with me»
Just for tonight if possible
to set up standing
with some dignity
this crippled thing I am
Because love
requires efficiency
and makes no discounts.

Translated by Kostantine Matsoukas