Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Miroslav Mićanović

SUMMER

You could hear them
on the bridge, crossing the river
and going from house to
house.
 
They beat the drum
and drag a bear
in chains.
 
They call locals to come out
from backyards to see him
dancing.
 
They hit him
across the snout 
with an ironbound club.
 
Excitement and terror,
fear and curiosity were stronger than
numbness in his
eye.
 
Big, seedy bear,
lay in dust next to his
dark master after the dance,
and master put down his tool,
and squabbles over  money
they promised to him.
 
Afterward, summer was all around, boredom,
and mosquitoes, and traces of their trail
from house to house.

LJETO

LJETO

Čuju se već od mosta
gdje su prešli rijeku
i idu od kuće do
kuće.
 
Udaraju u bubanj i
potežu u lance vezanog
medvjeda.
 
Zovu domaće da izađu
iz dvorišta i vide ga
kako pleše.                       
 
Drvenom motkom
okovanom u željezo
udaraju ga u njušku.
 
Uzbuđenje i užas,
strah i radoznalost veći su
od mrtvila u njegovu
oku.
 
Golemi, ofucani medvjed,
poslije plesa, leži u prašini
blizu mrkog gospodara
koji je odložio alat iz ruku,
svađa se i traži obećani
novac.
 
Poslije je sve ljeto, dosada,
komarci i trag njihova puta
od kuće do kuće.
Close

SUMMER

You could hear them
on the bridge, crossing the river
and going from house to
house.
 
They beat the drum
and drag a bear
in chains.
 
They call locals to come out
from backyards to see him
dancing.
 
They hit him
across the snout 
with an ironbound club.
 
Excitement and terror,
fear and curiosity were stronger than
numbness in his
eye.
 
Big, seedy bear,
lay in dust next to his
dark master after the dance,
and master put down his tool,
and squabbles over  money
they promised to him.
 
Afterward, summer was all around, boredom,
and mosquitoes, and traces of their trail
from house to house.

SUMMER

You could hear them
on the bridge, crossing the river
and going from house to
house.
 
They beat the drum
and drag a bear
in chains.
 
They call locals to come out
from backyards to see him
dancing.
 
They hit him
across the snout 
with an ironbound club.
 
Excitement and terror,
fear and curiosity were stronger than
numbness in his
eye.
 
Big, seedy bear,
lay in dust next to his
dark master after the dance,
and master put down his tool,
and squabbles over  money
they promised to him.
 
Afterward, summer was all around, boredom,
and mosquitoes, and traces of their trail
from house to house.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère