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