THE HEART OF THE QUEEN

 

“Orpheus is Zeus of the Man,

the Man is my Orpheus”

 

Earth blessed by those who came

and by those who will come,

earth with gardens spoiled    

by the sun over the White Town,

gardens where

the Queen's* heart is being heard tick-tack,

tick-tack,

tick-tack,

tick-tack, tick-tack, and in the shadow

that crosses the Bridge of Sighs,

and under the pavement on the Alley of Centuries.

 

Tick-tack, tick-tack and in the walls of history.

 

The White Town is lighted by the star

which is still making its circle

around the Stella Maris Chapel.

 

Tick-tack, tick-tack in the triangle of my way

surrounded by royal lilies

from Balchik to Plovdiv and Sofia,

and from Sofia to Plovdiv and Balchik.

 

Tick-tack, 

tick-tack, 

and from my heart a bird flies

towards a rainbow coming out of the sky

like a child who raises a kite of paper

in a field full of poppies.

 

* Mary, Queen of Romania (1875-1938).

 

Translated by Lavinia Puflea

Еd. Elka Dimitrova