Μαρία πάει για πασχαλιές ⬥ Maria’s gone to pick some lilac, a nightingale is singing, she goes to gather lilac blossom in vineyards and in paddocks. And as she gathers lilac blossom, with laughter and a burst of song, she finds the nightingale that carols. She creeps towards it on [...]
Μάης ⬥ May's come, May's come and spring, summer’s come when the perfumed roses bloom. I’ve a white rose I want to dye and if I get the shade just right, many a heart will I smite. Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Λεν ήρθι Μάης κι Άνοιξη ⬥ May's come, May's come and spring, summer’s come when the perfumed roses bloom. I've a white rose I want to dye and if I get the shade just right, many a heart will I smite. Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Μια Πασχαλιά, μια Κυριακή ⬥ One Easter Day, one Sunday, on a holy day, my little bird, a mother was adorning her son one Saturday from dawn to dusk, readying him for church on Sunday morn. Everybody went, hands reverently crossed, and I went, too, eyes tight shut. The congregation [...]
Αγιόγιαννης ⬥ Saint John’s herb Saint John’s herb with its short black leaves. Two herbs fell out over which smelled the finest. Basil smells fine which grows in ditches and the rose, too, that sprout from thorns, and the stinkweed, too, its stench fills the plains. Get thee back, stinkweed, [...]
Το μοιρολόι της Παναγιάς (Θράκη) ⬥ ... Today the sky is sullen black, the day itself is sullen, today all folk are sorrowing, the mountains are in mourning, today the lawless wicked Jews have taken the decision that they will crucify the Christ, the King of every being. The Lord [...]
Τ’ Αρμένου γιός πινέθηκε ⬥ The son of the Armenian boasted, my beautiful blue eyes, to a pasha, his master, sing my lovely nightingale. – My master, I shall cross the sea, on foot I shall cross it. – And if you cross the sea that way, you’ll be my son-in-law. Do [...]
Ήρθαν τρεις σπανοί απ’ την Πόλη ⬥ Three beardless gents down from the City, five hairs between them, what a pity. Then bré bré bré a fourth sailed in, from Tinos, five lonely hairs upon his chin. When bré bré bré when the baldies saw him they rushed out in welcome, looking [...]
Ήρθαν τρεις σπανοί ⬥ Three beardless gents down from the City, five hairs between them, what a pity. Then bré bré bré a fourth sailed in, from Tinos, five lonely hairs upon his chin. When bré bré bré when the baldies saw him they rushed out in welcome, looking trim. [...]
Με γέλασαν τα πουλιά ⬥ Tricked I was, tricked by the birds, tricked by the nightingales of spring. They tricked me and told me I would never die. And I built my home up higher than the rest with seven, eight floors and three score windows, at one of which [...]
Δώδεκα ευζωνάκια ⬥ Twelve young evzones decided, Holy Virgin, they decided to go to war. On their way, Holy Virgin, upon the black sea a blacker storm blew up and ripped their sails to shreds. Help us, Holy Virgin, help us save them and we’ll light a thousand candles in [...]
Τι να κάνω ο έρημος ⬥ What am I, poor wretch, to do with the wife I’ve got? In Jan’ry month and Feb’ry too she leads me off to harvest. I reaped the corn, I threshed the crop, despite the rain and snow, and as I stacked it up in [...]
