Lamia

Do not all charms fly

At the mere touch of cold philosophy?

There was an awful rainbow once in heaven:

We know her woof, her texture; she is given

In the dull catalogue of common things.

Philosophy will clip an Angel's wings,

Conquer all mysteries by rule and line,

Empty the haunted air, and gnomèd mine—

Unweave a rainbow, as it erewhile made

The tender-person'd Lamia melt into a shade.

John Keats

Temo por meus olhos

Temo por meus olhos

diante das puras vestes.

E no entretanto, desejo.

Temor que sugere o epilogo

de ser cantaro partido

ao lado de fonte prodiga.

A nao contemplar, prefiro

definitiva cegueira.

When I hoped I feared —

When I hoped I feared —

Since I hoped I dared

Everywhere alone

As a Church remain —

Spectre cannot harm —

Serpent cannot charm —

He deposes Doom

Who hath suffered him —

Emily Dickinson

(Picture: Hope II, Gustav Klimt)

OCD

The first time I saw her...

Everything in my head went quiet.

All the tics, all the constantly refreshing images just disappeared.

When you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, you don't really get quiet moments.

Even in bed, I'm thinking:

Did I lock the doors? Yes.

Did I wash my hands? Yes.

Did I lock the doors? Yes.

Did I wash my hands? Yes.

But when I saw her, the only thing I could think about was the hairpin curve of her lips.

Or the eyelash on her cheek—

the eyelash on her cheek—

the eyelash on her cheek.

Ο καιόμενος

Κοιτάχτε μπήκε στη φωτιά! είπε ένας από το πλήθος.

Γυρίσαμε τα μάτια γρήγορα. Ήταν

στ’ αλήθεια αυτός που απόστρεψε το πρόσωπο, όταν του

μιλήσαμε. Και τώρα καίγεται. Μα δε φωνάζει βοήθεια.

Διστάζω. Λέω να πάω εκεί. Να τον αγγίξω με το χέρι μου.

Είμαι από τη φύση μου φτιαγμένος να παραξενεύομαι.

Ποιος είναι τούτος που αναλίσκεται περήφανος;

Το σώμα του το ανθρώπινο δεν τον πονά;

Η χώρα εδώ είναι σκοτεινή. Και δύσκολη. Φοβάμαι.

Ξένη φωτιά μην την ανακατεύεις, μου είπαν.

Όμως εκείνος καίγονταν μονάχος. Καταμόναχος.

Κι όσο αφανίζονταν τόσο άστραφτε το πρόσωπο.

Θαρθεί καιρός που θα αλλάξουν τα πράγματα . 
Να το θυμάσαι Μαρία . 
Θυμάσαι Μαρία στα διαλείμματα εκείνο το παιχνίδι 
που τρέχαμε κρατώντας τη σκυτάλη 
-μη βλέπεις εμένα- μην κλαις. Εσύ εισ' η ελπίδα . 
Άκου θάρθει καιρός 
που τα παιδιά θα διαλέγουν γονιούς 
δε θα βγαίνουν στην τύχη 

The Great Humanity

The great humanity is the deck-passenger on the ship
third class on the train
on foot on the causeway
the great humanity.
The great humanity goes to work at eight
marries at twenty
dies at forty
the great humanity.
There is enough bread for all except the great humanity
it is the same for rice
for sugar
for cloth
for books
there is enough for all except the great humanity.
The great humanity has no shade on his soil
no lamp on his road
no glass on his window
but the great humanity has hope
you can’t live without hope.

Nâzım Hikmet Ran


(Picture: Night at sea, Marcus Larson)