Thirty three Haiku by George Pavlopoulos

Translated by Darlene Fife

1

Hidden my body

your secrets only

I know.

 

 

 

2

When she dances

she lifts her skirt

so I see the mole.

 

 

 

3

Again the road

naked in the window

hidden she watches.

 

 

4

Somewhere in the dream

I heard you my colt

whinnying.

 

 

 

5

At three in the night

the waiter took our

two glasses.

 

 

 

 

6

Upon the anvil

violet the iron

of her balcony.

 

 

 

7

Two eyes swords

slashed his eyelids

and she stayed naked.

 

 

 

8

Three friends played

dice for her kiss.

Another took it.

 

 

 

9

Arbote-berry honey

and the gluttonous blackbird

the wax nose.

 

 

 

10

When he looks

in the well’s depth

he sees the goat.

 

 

 

11

Look! Two mosquitoes

on the bomb’s blasting cap

make love.

 

 

 

12

Death was calling

And above my body

shone the dawn.

 

 

 

13

I would want more

and yet more. And you

would not give to me.

 

 

 

14

Day and night

with invisible rope

someone binds us.

 

 

 

15

Sparrow killer

he murders the cicada

who still sings.

 

 

 

16

Crosses on the slope

and the sea far below

shines in the sun.

 

 

 

17

I heard oars

without seeing boats

in the mist.

 

 

 

18

Pale sea.

With its dead tail

children play.

 

 

 

19

Deep in the mud

furrows from wheels

and dry leaves.

 

 

 

20

Behind the mountains

some come out evenings

and watch us.

 

 

 

21

To N.D.T.

I hold my breath

my nightingale of the sea

to hear you.

 

 

 

22

Small boat

closed in the bottle

where are you sailing?

 

 

 

23

Hector dead too.

It frightens Homer

his destruction.

 

 

 

24

Peacock’s tail

on a monkey’s rear

this world.

 

 

 

25

Ah tonight again

you don’t spare the beating

my Karagioze!

 

 

26

Are they words

in Book 24 of the Iliad

or axes?

 

 

 

27

Zeno said:

"Place indeed is not."

Say is it true?

 

 

 

28

The wolf laughs.

the lamb whispered

something in his ear.

 

 

 

29

Almond flowers

fall in my sleep.

Who kissed me?

 

 

 

30

Poor bone

in the desert’s sand

with such style.

 

 

 

31

Your one eye

in the poem and the other

to judge you.

 

 

 

32

Motionless. As if

Earth was photographed

forever.

 

 

 

33

We all fit

the living and the dead

in a poem.