Tonight the moon... - Kostas Karyotakis

Tonight the moon will fall upon
the strand, a heavy pearl.
And over me will play the mad
mad moonlight.
The ruby wave will shatter
at my feet, and scatter all the stars.
From my palms two doves
will have been born;
they'll rise —two silver birds—,
be filled— two cups— with moonlight,
sprinkle moonlight on my shoulders,
on my hair.
The sea is molten gold.
I'll launch my dream to sail
upon a caique. I'll tread a diamond,
the glistening gravel.
The encircling light will seem to pierce
my heart, a heavy pearl.
And I shall laugh. And then I'll weep... And there,
there's the moonlight!

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Kostas Karyotakis (1896 - 1928) Greece
Translated by Peter J. King and Andrea Christofidou
Source: Worcester College Record