Yiannis Poulopoulos

I want you to love me like the sun
Which gives warmth to all the earth
I want you to love me like the friend, the friend
the brother, light and life

I want you to love me as you do now,
like fresh water quenching my thirst.
I want you to love me as you do now,
holding me like a sacred talisman.
I want you to love me as you do now, now,
holding me like a sacred talisman.

I want you to love me as you do the air
which you breathe in every moment.
I want you to love me every day, day by day
all the more in life.

I want you to love me as you do now…

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Θέλω να μ’ αγαπάς όπως και τώρα…

Σήμερα θα σε δω,
εικόσι χρόνια έχω να σε δω,
και σ’ονόμασα Πηνελόπη,
από τα μάτια σου θα καταλάβω
αν μ’αγαπάς, αν μ’αγαπάς…

I will take twelve children
twelve children
twelve mandolins

And I will pay them my darling
my darling,
for you each month

Six of them each morning
to wake you sweetly
and the rest each late afternoon
from the earth to the sky
to take you on a stroll

I will break your mirrors
your mirrors
into forty-two pieces

So you can see yourself brushing your hair
brushing your hair
reflected in my eyes

The hair from your brushing I will keep
what falls into your lap
and I will make of it my love
a golden talisman
to fasten your heart

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Τ’ αποχτενίδια θα κρατώ
που πέφτουν στην ποδιά σου
και θα τα κάνω αγάπη μου
μαλαματένιο φυλαχτό
να δέσω την καρδιά σου

Δώσ’ μου ένα δρόμο…

Το τραγούδι τέλειωσε
μα η λύπη μένει
σαν ναυαγισμένη
στη θολή ματιά

My girl got drunk this evening
and her small lip which is burning
-in broken words, dear little jasmine flowers-
tells me of her complaints

My girl got drunk this evening
as she softly leans into my shoulder
her dear eyes like suns have set
like little lamps in the road

My girl got drunk this evening
and it has become night and she is trembling
but my heart is wide open
where she can find a shelter from the wind

(translation: Eva Johanos)

μέθυσε απόψε το κορίτσι μου
κι έχει νυχτώσει και μου τρέμει
μα είναι ορθάνοιχτη η καρδούλα μου
να βρει απάγκιο κι απανέμι

You got sleepy my star, my moon
sleep in my arms
you woke up, my sun after the rain
take my laughter to wash yourself

Everything is yours my eyes
and your pain, mine
my eyes witnessed a lot
in the neighborhoods of the world.

You got thirsty, my aspen, and tired
throw your roots to me
a northern wind blew and you messed up your hair
take my little heart as a comb

Everything yours my eyes
and your pain, mine
my eyes witnessed a lot
in the neighborhoods of the world

(literally “my eyes”- tender term of endearment)

Όλα δικά σου μάτια μου
κι ο πόνος σου δικός μου
είδαν πολλά τα μάτια μου
στις γειτονιές του κόσμου