Far away from you [Departe sunt de tine]
I'm far away from you, watching the fire dance,
Thinking that in my life, I've never had a chance.
It seems I've lived too long, that eighty years have fled
I am as old as winter, I think that you are dead.
The memories are flooding my soul like bitter rivals
Reviving on my mind the past with all its trifles;
The windows now are trembling, because the wind is knocking,
Sweet tales of life my mind is spinning and recalling.
And then I see you passing, a phantom from the skies
With small and chilly hands, with tears in your big eyes;
You cling around my neck and I can see you're shy
You'd like to tell me something, but then you stop and sigh...
I hug my only wealth of love and wondrous things,
With kisses we are joining our lives, despite their stings...
To silence all my thoughts in vain I wish so bad
If only I could forget the good luck that I had,
To leave behind that moment when you departed slowly...
You will have been long dead, I will be old and lonely!
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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Oh, mother...[O, mamă...]
Oh, mother, dearest mother, although you passed away,
Through all the leaves that tremble, you call me every day;
Above your holy grave, the autumn gentle breeze
Shakes off the withered boughs of the acacia trees,
Which seem to hum along with your forgotten voice...
You will be sleeping always, they always will rejoice.
The day I die, my darling, for me, please, do not cry
Instead, break from the lime tree a twig scratching the sky
And put it in the ground, somewhere beside my head,
Then wet it at the roots with all the tears you'll shed;
And when it grows, its shadow will be just like a veil...
I shall be sleeping always, its shadow will prevail.
But if we die together – it's possible, who knows? –
They shouldn't put our bodies in graveyards to repose,
But let them dig a hollow somewhere, on open land,
And in a single coffin to put us, hand in hand;
For ever you will settle your head upon my chest...
We shall be sleeping always, the open land will rest.
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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Out of the waves of time [Din valurile vremii]
Out of the waves of time, come up, my love, and shine
With your white marble arms, with your hair, long and fine –
With your translucent face, which is like wax – soft, white,
Which suffers in the shade and cannot sleep at night!
You gently touch my eyes with your attractive smile,
You are a shining star, no woman has your style
And when you turn your head and watch your shoulder's skin
I look into your eyes and see the bliss within.
How can I take you out of this dark haze, my love,
To hold you to my chest, dear angel from above,
To lay my teary cheek on your exquisite face,
To choke you with my kiss and with my hot embrace,
To warm your chilly hand with the volcanic flame
Of my ecstatic heart that flutters at your name?
Alas! You're not alive, you don't seem to exist
Your shadow disappears into the cold, wet mist
And here I am again, so gloomy and so sad
Reluctantly recalling the nice dream that I had...
In vain I seek your face, in vain I want your charms
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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The Waves of Time
Arise again, beloved, out of the waves of time
With your long golden tresses and marble arms sublime;
Your face that now transparent and pale as wax is pale
Is shaded by the shadow of sorrow's clinging veil!
Your timid smile caressing does rest within my eyes,
O star amidst fair women, o queen of starry skies;
Your head upon your shoulder its wealth of beauty lays
And in your eyes of wonder I'm lost and weeping gaze.
Out of the void's dark vapours may you once more uprear,
That to my heart I clasp you, beloved angel dear,
That I in nameless weeping above your face may bend
And on your lips forever my burning kisses spend.
While your cold hand unheeding I clasp against my breast,
Closer, yet still closer, against my bosom pressed.
Alas, not thus the darkness gives back its own again;
Now through its icy vapours I see your shadow wane.
With hanging arms and helpless once more I am alone
Before a dream unending of hours that have gone;
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu
Added by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Diana
What are you looking for at night
When moon is shining in the springs
And where the birds in warble fight
Flapping enchanted their wings?
Can't you perceive this nice array
Of leaves that whisper in the glade
And kiss each other and they play
In the refreshing forest's shade?
And like in mirrors moving fast
You want to watch a funny game,
In waters that have come and passed,
While your big eyes remain the same?
The spring has filled the woods again
Reviving everything, in truth,
However, all your thoughts are vain,
Like Endymion's, that fair youth.
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
Added by Octavian Cocoş
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Meeting again [Revedere]
– Forest friendly and sincere,
How are you today, my dear,
For since I have seen you last
Lots of years have quickly passed
And since far away I've been
Half the world my eyes have seen.
– I do always what I know,
Hear the blizzard bringing woe,
Breaking branches in its race
Covering the waters' face
Snowing up the narrow way
Chasing all my birds away;
– And in summer, all the time,
Hear the doina, song sublime,
On the path where people mount
To fetch water from the fount,
Filling their jugs with care
Sing the women young and fair.
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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So tender [Atât de fragedă]
You are so tender, just like when
The cherry blossom is pure, white
And like an angel among men
Into my life you come in sight.
You barely touch the rug below
The silk is rustling at your feet
And as you walk, from head to toe,
You float like eagles in the heat.
Out of your pleated dress you rise
Like a white marble and I'm struck...
My soul clings quickly to your eyes,
So full of tears and of good luck.
Oh, happy dream of love with style
Bride from old stories, little star,
Stop smiling! For your pretty smile
Reveals how beautiful you are.
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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Solitude [Singurătate]
With the curtains pulled together
At my table made of wood
Near the fire burning slowly
I am in a thinking mood.
Through my mind are swiftly passing
Many thoughts that it recalls,
Chirping like a group of crickets
Among black and ancient walls.
In the soul then they are falling,
Breaking less and sometimes more,
As the burning wax is dripping
On the church's marble floor.
In the chamber, at the corners
Spider webs hang all around,
While the mice are slowly sneaking
On the shelves and on the ground.
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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Along the uneven row of poplars [Pe lângă plopii fără soţ]
Along the uneven row of poplars
I used to stroll a lot
And I was known by all your neighbours
But you, you knew me not.
Your window shining bright and good
I often stood and scanned
And everybody understood,
You didn't understand.
How many times I waited scared
A whisper of reply!
A single day, to know you cared,
A day to end my sigh.
At least an hour to be friends
And give our love a try
To listen how your voice ascends
An hour, and then die.
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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Being a lad I used to roam the wood [Fiind băiet păduri cutreieram]
Being a lad, I used to roam the wood,
Beside the spring I often slept awhile
With my right hand beneath my head I stood
To hear the water, to relax and smile;
A gentle rustle made me feel so good
And a sweet smell surrounded me with guile.
How many nights I spent alone and free
Listening the waves that seemed to talk to me!
The moon above is shining to my face
I see the Heaven with my weary eyes,
A silver mist is filling all the space,
Flames over water, flashes in the skies,
A horn is playing in a secret place
The sound gets closer and then slowly dies...
On withered leaves and through the tall, wet grass
I think I hear the stags that gently pass.
The lime tree opens wide or so it seems
A lovely queen steps out of it, so frail,
[...] Read more
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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