We would sneak into the silence Between two heartbeats And stay silent there
We would make up a thousand sad formulas So that we could never find Our common Denominator
We would do everything we can To subdue life Before promising instead of fighting Advocating instead of crying
If we only knew Just one word In the language in which The deaf dream
Translated from Macedonian by Marija Angelovska
TREES THAT ONLY BLOOM ONCE
Most things that I believe in Cannot be rippled by a look or stripped by reason.
They are words, shelters Shoulders that dream of the distance
The long-mentioned smallness In front of whose smile All the heights Of uniqueness are silent.
I believe in the road breaks Until the circle is closed And straightened up again Naked and loud by itself The thought pervades everything!
I believe in the grief That we conceal In all languages the same.
And the old man’s unwavering smile And the children’s impatient hands.
The longing from which the branch Softens and grows.
I believe in the tears On the other side of the screen In front of which the reckless passers-by Blow the dust off of their sleeves Preparing for new doomsdays.
The bang with which The Earth awakens us In the dead of the night To remind us Of all the names We decorate ingratitude with At midday.
I believe in those who have been declared terrorists For the same thing others became heroes.
. And I believe in the joy in the voice Of those who suppressed my joy.
At the end of my neighborhood Where the boney fingers Tickle the dumpster again And in the centre of city, Where behind bruised curtains A white stomach is swinging again Above someone’s powdered innocence.
I also believe in the chemicals releasing In the gambler’s muscles As he twitches behind the green table.
Is there anything left not to believe in, When everything’s out there dancing Without guilt or aim?
Just like that.
The distance in whose folds The will is twisting.
Old age and youth.
And some branches That only bloom once.
Translated from Macedonian by Marija Angelovska
Andrej Al-Asadi (1996) – poet and prose writer. He has authored four books of poetry and two prose books. His poetry has been translated into numerous languages. For his first collection of short stories, he won the award for the best debut prose manuscript “The New Ones”. He has taken part in a number of poetry readings. His works have earned him three nominations for the prestigious Miladinov Brothers Award of the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival (2018, 2020, and 2022).