HOME PAGE

 


The prolific poet and journalist Ion Caraion (1923-1985) was persecuted
most of his adult life - under three successive dictatorships:
King Carol II (and his glittering court), Fascism, then Communism.
He spent the years 1951 to 1964 in labour camps, then went into exile
in Switzerland, where he died.

AM PE NIMENI


- Und' vă duce, domnule ?
- în grădină, somnule.
- Ce să faceţi, domnule ?
- Să mă-mpuşte, somnule.
- Că au gloanţe, domnule ?
- Că au vreme, somnule.
- Und vă-ngroapă, domnule ?
- Sub zăpadă, somnule.
- Vă e frică, domnule ?
- îmi e scîrbă, somnule.
- Cui să spunem, domnule ?
- Iadurilor, somnule.
- Va fi bine, domnule ?
- Va fi seară, somnule.
- Aveţi rude, domnule ?
- Am pe nimeni, somnule.
- Vreţi o cupă, domnule ?
- Cît mă costă, somnule ?
- N-are-a face, domnule.
- De otrăvuri, somnule...
- Nu vreţi cupa, domnule ?
- Sparge-o-n ţăndări, somnule !
- Să vă plîngem, domnule ?
- N-are-a face, somnule.
- Noapte bună, domnule !
- Dormi cu mine, somnule !
- Eu dorm singur, domnule.
- Eu nor singur, somnule.
- Moarte bună, domnule.
- Noapte bună, somnule !

 

Ion Caraion

 

 

 

 

HOME PAGE

 

 

 

 

I HAVE NOBODY

from 'THE ERROR OF BEING'


translated from the Romanian by Anthony Weir

 

Where are they taking you, master ?
Into the garden, slumber.

What to do there, master ?
There to shoot me, slumber.

Because they have bullets, master ?
Because they have time, slumber.

Where will they bury you, master ?
Under a snowdrift, slumber.

Are you frightened, master ?
My stomach's churning, slumber.

Who shall be notified, master ?
The hellish regions, slumber.

Have you relations, master ?
I have nobody, slumber.

Will it be OK, master ?
It will be evening, slumber.

Will you have a cup, master ?
What is the price of it, slumber ?

I wouldn't bother, master.
Of deadly poisons, slumber...

You don't want the cup, master ?
It's smashed in pieces, slumber.

Shall we mourn you, master ?
I wouldn't bother, slumber.

Good night, master !
Sleep with me, slumber !

I sleep alone, master.
I die alone, slumber.

Good death, master !
Good night, slumber !

 

 

 

MORE TRANSLATIONS

by ANTHONY WEIR