Nostalgija ostanka
Nostalgija ostanka
Malo hodam
malo kisa pada
Malo stanem u neku vezu
kisa prestane
malo hodam
pa kisa opet pada
pa malo stanem u vezu
sa zatvorenim kisobranom
s ploha listova
klize voda
i kaplje
predje jedan kamion
pa drugi
pa tramvaj
pa treci kamion
svi su frisko vlazni
ja drzim vlazan kisobran
i stojim
i pricinja mi se
da glumim viteza lutalicu
u nekom baletu
Jos malo pa cu zamahnuti kisobranom
kao da je mac.
© 1963, Ivan Slamnig
From: Naronska siesta
Nostalgia of Staying
I walk a bit
it rains a bit
I stop over in some entrance
the rain stops
I walk a bit
and then it rains again
and I stop over in some entrance
my umbrella is closed
and water trickles and
falls down in drops
from the palms of leaves
a truck passes by
then another
then a tram
then a third truck
all newly wet
and I’m holding my wet umbrella
standing
and I imagine myself
playing the role of a wandering knight
in some ballet
A little bit more and I’m going to brandish my umbrella
like a sword.
© Translation: 2003, Sibila Petlevski