First 2 stanzas of “Watercolor” by Ion Minulescu (Bucharest, 1920), and the 1st stanza of “Echo-free romanza” by Minulescu
translation from Romanian by Gabriela Anderson
copyright protected
………………………………………………………………………………………
“In the city where the rains fall
three times every week or so
City dwellers on the sidewalks
Hand in hand will gently stroll.
And in this most rainy city where three times the showers come,
City dwellers on the sidewalks
with old wet moaning umbrellas,
overwhelmed by so much pouring,
Look like key-stirred dolls in motion
from shop shelves released by some. (…)”
“În oraşu-n care plouă de trei ori pe săptămână
Orăşenii, pe trotuare,
Merg ţinându-se de mână,
Şi-n oraşu-n care plouă de trei ori pe săptămână,
De sub vechile umbrele, ce suspină
Şi se-ndoaie,
Umede de-atâta ploaie,
Orăşenii pe trotuare
Par păpuşi automate, date jos din galantare.(…)”
………………………………………………………………………….
Love, you, a home-décor of porcelain clear,
An ephemeral existential self,
Once more I find you on the same high shelf
On which I left you no less than last year.
(…)
“Iubire, bibelou de porţelan,
Obiect cu existenţa efemeră,
Te regăsesc pe aceeaşi etajeră
Pe care te-am lăsat acum un an…”