It’s been a while since I translated Slovak poetry. Today I finally found some spare time for this highly satisfying endeavour. Playing with languages is fun.
The poet who wrote this poem is called Ondrej Nagaj and he has been active for quite a few decades. The original Slovak version is below the translation.
Love cannot be encountered
everyday.
For the lucky ones -
like a bright star it appears
once, twice in a lifetime,
others will not touch upon it.
It entered my atmosphere
like a meteorite,
like a comet,
when I was living tiredly
the evening twilight flew
into my soul.
From your brightness
a pair of yellow rays
touched me with their
warm shiver
and became for me
the golden key.
For that I so happily
live on Earth.
Original version by Ondrej Nagaj:
Každý deň sa láska
stretnúť nedá.
Pre šťastných raz
-- dvakrát v živote
objaví sa
ako jasná hviezda,
iný sa jej ani nedotkne.
Vstúpila si
v moju atmosféru
ako bolid,
ako kométa,
keď na dušu
žitím unavenú
mi večerný súmrak
prilietal.
Z tvojho jasu
zopár žltých lúčov
dotklo sa ma
teplým zachvením
a stalo sa
pre mňa zlatým kľúčom.
Preto tak rád
žijem na Zemi.
- Aj kalina je kvet, 2000
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