Poems by Iva Damjanovski 

THE LAST WORDS OF A QUASAR
 
Objects are comforting,
so gently tangible.
I wish it was possible to hold
a piece of one’s peace,
or the pinpoint of one’s wish
on which you could prick your finger
and bleed from touching it.
Or the molecules of one’s love
between which you could fall
and leave a you-shaped hole in them
and gravity is your angel and
God is travelling light
аt 299 792 458 m / s
suitcases full of lullabies
and Hubble polaroids, 
an abundance of
caramels and sweat.
It is impossible
to be longing
and belonging
at the same time.
Look at that fast darkness
sticky and dissonant
like tar 
or a group of people.
I dip my hands in it
and I try to send colors
back from where they came from,
where there are no objects
or their warm atomic embrace
 
I want to learn every new love
these children invent,
every new kind,
every cyberpunk kindness,
every lead leader,
every better burden,
every benevolent rage,
 
my old age
is a supernova.
 
Macedonian and English version of the poem are by the author, part of a poetry experiment of simultaneous writing in more than one language, not actual translation.
 
COBWEB
 
I am a wind, wild.
I am a child.
At night when I dream of gravity
and weigh endlessly,
I want to see how the spider in my room
dies slowly,
trapped in its own cobweb.
 
I see how its useless movements
become slower
and can’t suppress my smile,
I am a wind, wild,
and see things like a child.
I see how my spider falls prey
to what it knitted,
 
and surrenders fully.
Like all the insects among its ropes,
it gives in finally
and falls in love with its cobweb.
 
It becomes gravity
and weighs endlessly,
it kills its own web,
it kills its own lace
 
and now knows it must eat
itself.
 
Translation from Macedonian by Zoran Anchevski
 
 

Iva Damjanovski (1996) – poet, pianist and thereminist from Skopje. She has published three poetry books. Her second poetry book was awarded the prestigious Miladinov Brothers Award at the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival (2020). Her poetry has been translated into ten world languages. She is also part of the duo Alembic, whose first album was published in 2022. Currently she is doing a master’s degree in Musicology at the University of Trento, Italy and one in Piano Interpretation and Composition at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
 
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