Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Dane Zajc

Invisible Eyes

Lions are rising.
Rested lions rise in tall grass.
They plant their heavy paws upon the ground:
the lions roar into the evening.

The moon, the night\'s bright eye,
watches through treetops.
Soft bellies slither on the ground.
Looking for the eyes.
For the green eyes among trees.
For the yellow eyes in grass.
For the red eyes in reeds.

Watch your step.
Watch your legs.

The lions crawl among tree trunks.
The lions are ready to leap.
The arches of their backs shiver
with anticipation.

Watch your steps.
The invisible eyes are locating
the spot for hungry teeth on you.
The invisible teeth will snatch
at your calves.

The lions lunge at gazelles.
They leap like roaring balls of hunger.
They slaughter.
The moon, the night\'s bright eye, sails across the sky.
The soft bodies crawl on the ground.

Watch your steps.
Watch your arms.
The morning will appear over the mountain,
a white
sated animal.
The red sun will search,
search for a long time your bones,
scattered in the tall grass.

The lions roar into the night.
How we slaughtered the sheepish gazelles!
How we slaughtered the shuddering gazelles!
How we tore their flesh apart,
their soft flesh on the black table-cloth of the night.

Thirsty lions drink the moonlight.

Watch your arms.
The sun will find your bones,
scattered in the tall grass.

Nevidne oèi

Nevidne oèi

Levi vstajajo.
Spoèiti levi vstajajo v visoki travi.
Tezke noge opirajo ob tla:
levi rjovejo v veter.

Mesec, svetlo oko noèi,
gleda skoz krošnje.
Mehki trebuhi se plazijo po tleh.
Oèi išèejo.
Zelene oèi med drevjem.
Zolte oèi v travi.
Rdeèe oèi med loèjem.

Pazi na korak.
Pazi na noge.

Levi se plazijo med debli.
Levi se pripravljajo na skok.
Loki njihovih hrbtov drhtijo
od tezkega prièakovanja.

Pazi na svoje stopinje.
Nevidne oèi zbirajo na tebi
prostor za laène zobe.
Nevidni zobje bojo hlastnili
po tvojih meèih.

Levi so planili na gazele.
Levi so skoèili kakor rjoveèe krogle lakote.
Levi koljejo.
Mesec, svetlo oko noèi, potuje po nebu.
Mehka telesa se plazijo po tleh.

Pazi na stopinje.
Pazi na roke.
Jutro bo prišlo èez goro kot bela sita zival
Rdeèe sonce bo iskalo,
dolgo iskalo tvoje kosti,
razsejane v visoki travi.

Levi rjovejo v noè.
Kako smo klali bojazljive gazele.
Kako smo klali drgetajoèe gazele.
Kako smo trgali njihovo meso,
njihovo mehko meso na èrnem prtu noèi.

Žejni levi pijejo meseèino.

Pazi na roke.
Sonce bo našlo tvoje kosti,
razsejane v visoki travi.
Close

Invisible Eyes

Lions are rising.
Rested lions rise in tall grass.
They plant their heavy paws upon the ground:
the lions roar into the evening.

The moon, the night\'s bright eye,
watches through treetops.
Soft bellies slither on the ground.
Looking for the eyes.
For the green eyes among trees.
For the yellow eyes in grass.
For the red eyes in reeds.

Watch your step.
Watch your legs.

The lions crawl among tree trunks.
The lions are ready to leap.
The arches of their backs shiver
with anticipation.

Watch your steps.
The invisible eyes are locating
the spot for hungry teeth on you.
The invisible teeth will snatch
at your calves.

The lions lunge at gazelles.
They leap like roaring balls of hunger.
They slaughter.
The moon, the night\'s bright eye, sails across the sky.
The soft bodies crawl on the ground.

Watch your steps.
Watch your arms.
The morning will appear over the mountain,
a white
sated animal.
The red sun will search,
search for a long time your bones,
scattered in the tall grass.

The lions roar into the night.
How we slaughtered the sheepish gazelles!
How we slaughtered the shuddering gazelles!
How we tore their flesh apart,
their soft flesh on the black table-cloth of the night.

Thirsty lions drink the moonlight.

Watch your arms.
The sun will find your bones,
scattered in the tall grass.

Invisible Eyes

Lions are rising.
Rested lions rise in tall grass.
They plant their heavy paws upon the ground:
the lions roar into the evening.

The moon, the night\'s bright eye,
watches through treetops.
Soft bellies slither on the ground.
Looking for the eyes.
For the green eyes among trees.
For the yellow eyes in grass.
For the red eyes in reeds.

Watch your step.
Watch your legs.

The lions crawl among tree trunks.
The lions are ready to leap.
The arches of their backs shiver
with anticipation.

Watch your steps.
The invisible eyes are locating
the spot for hungry teeth on you.
The invisible teeth will snatch
at your calves.

The lions lunge at gazelles.
They leap like roaring balls of hunger.
They slaughter.
The moon, the night\'s bright eye, sails across the sky.
The soft bodies crawl on the ground.

Watch your steps.
Watch your arms.
The morning will appear over the mountain,
a white
sated animal.
The red sun will search,
search for a long time your bones,
scattered in the tall grass.

The lions roar into the night.
How we slaughtered the sheepish gazelles!
How we slaughtered the shuddering gazelles!
How we tore their flesh apart,
their soft flesh on the black table-cloth of the night.

Thirsty lions drink the moonlight.

Watch your arms.
The sun will find your bones,
scattered in the tall grass.
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