This is a micro-anthology of poems written by authors from different countries of the Balkans during the pandemic, on the human condition during the pandemic.

Ljerka Toth (Croatia)

ISOLATION

My life in isolation

is the storm  facing –

a change of thinking

voiceless speech

invocation of possible miracle

and a call to Prayer.

A thought  captivated  me

Awake waitings

Time duration ends

waiting for the new Heaven

in an unfolded abyss of time.

I love my waitings

Relentless dizziness

in some unfinished circles

in pain from the sound of silence

through the abyss of loneliness.

Like chess pieces

are my movements

unfinished path

a  flash escaped from  imagined

whisper in the circles discovered.

Outside is an unknown danger

Near end of tragedy

Nameless crossing of pain

Calling through time

Primordial separation or pass.

Translated by Lence Milosevska

 Zoran Pejkovski (North Macedonia)

TWILIGHT TIME

Time calmness,,

time fraud,

dead end,

live heat,

sting that mourns,

silence that screams.

Twilight time

harrasing decay,

ash time,

bone rust

water in  catacombs,

fire in bed,

dead time,

time – parade,

zombie time,

column of departed,

chills,

fear,

epitaph.

Translated by Vesna Milevska

 Vesna Mundishevska-Veljanovska  (North Macedonia)

(NO)TIME

The doorbell

and the modern self-isolation

are swallowing the rhapsody

of their loneliness.

The balcony is a park

of the dreamed cheerfulness.

In the time differentials

of the cross fire

of the volatility and computability

we emptied all the creams with protective factors

from the prickly tongues of the (in)human radiation.

In the cracked mirror of the essence

dignity bleeds into the joints of the obedience.

From the pot of the indecisiveness

evaporates the breath of the presence.

The silence of the condensed quietness

thunders like never before.

Translated from Macedonian by Vesna Mundishevska-Veljanovska

Vanya Angelova (Bulgaria)

EYES

The eyes do not always

tell the truth

I want to see.

I have a chance to be deceived

one more time.

How many chances

for the others

and nothing for me!

The light is enough for me.

I’m ready to raise my eyes!

FOREIGN FAITH

Foreign faith

which borrowed

you offer it to everyone,

It’ll not do anything to me

nor  to the other

beggars.

Keep

the moldy crumbs,

and feed with them

your children!

I’m used to starve.

My soul is often closed

wandering

homeless

through hell.

I do not want faith

from the others.

I was loosing my own on the ways

If you come back, come back!

If not,

I will seek again!

Translated from Bulgarian by Vanya Angelova

Bozhko Angelov (Bulgaria)

*** I look into the eyes of Christ.

A white dove made a nest in my heart.

*** It’s raining in the eyes of a girl –

a rainbow rose.

*** I hear a dove in the morning timidly.

The lindens are rustling.

*** Before your eyes passes slowly

my shadow.

*** Nightingale songs. Sunny house.

An angel’s gaze.

Translated from Bulgarian by Bozhko Angelov

Snežana Aleksić – Stanojlović (Serbia)

SILENCE

There is time for sowing

and for waiting…

That is the time

of patience and strength.

Speechlenessness

in the unwordable…

The love by silence

in seed that germinates…

The love by silence

in bird that does not sing…

The love by silence

in grass that sprouts…

The love by silence

before prayer

and repentance…

The love by silence

in mercy

of forgiveness…

Call of God

in us…

Translated by Vesna Mundichevska-Veljanovska