Selected Poems Quotes

“i have wiped your face off my face
ripped your shadow off my shadow
levelled the hills in you
turned your plains into hills
set your seasons at odds within you
turned all the ends of the world from you
wrapped the path of my life around you
my impenetrable my impossible path
now you just try to find me”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems

“and you want us to love one another
you can shape me from my ashes
from the debris of my guffawing
from my leftover tedium
you can gorgeous
you can seize me by the hair of forgetting
embrace my night in an empty shirt
kiss my echo
well you dont know how to love”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems

“out of each pain which we dont mention

a chestnut tree grows up and remains mysterious behind us

out of each hope which we cherish astar arises

and move unattainable in front of us”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems

“the streets of your glances have no ending
the swallows from your eyes donot migrate south
in the heaven of your words the sun doesnot set”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems

“Bio jednom jedan broj
Čist i okrugao kao sunce
Ali sam mnogo sam

Počeo je da računa sa sobom

Delio se množio
Oduzimao se sabirao
I uvek ostajao sam

Prestao je da računa sa sobom
I zaključao se u svoju okruglu
I sunčanu čistotu

Napolju su ostali usijani
Tragovi njegovog računanja

Počeli su da se jure po mraku
Da se dele kad se množe
Da se oduzimaju kad se sabiraju

Onako kako se to u mraku već radi

I nije bilo nikog da ga zamoli
Da tragove zaustavi
I da ih izbriše”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems

“a winged pipe flies around
the streaks of lightning in a vast coil
with a song it tries to lure them somewhere
is it back to the clouds
or to another lovier heaven
or to earth amongst men
it become entangled in the tongues of flame
both song and wings are on fire
and its shadow on the gates of heaven
doesnt it know some other song
with this it will only enrage the lightning streaks
and wont lure them anyway”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems

“our day is a green apple cut in two
i look at you you dont see me
between us is the blind sun
on the steps our torn embrace
you call me i dont hear you between us is the deaf air
in the shop windows my lips are seeking your smile
at the crossroads our trampled kiss
i have given you my hand you dont feel it
emptiness has embraced you
in the squares your tear is seekinng my eyes
in the evening my day dead meets with your dead day
only in sleep we walk the same paths”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems

“in his lovely eyes
sorrow has closed
into a circle
for the road has no ending
and he must drag behind him
the whole world”
― vasko popa, Selected Poems

“a white formless bundle
moves over the clear heaven
constantly with all its strength it rocks side to side
tied crosswise with green string
and so prepares its step
constantly struggling it falls
on to uncaring soil of heaven
and so marks time
above it one star keeps silence
below it another star silence
to its right an old sun philosopjizes
to its left a young moon prattles
why doesnt it jut calm down for once
the good natured thunder from the clear heaven
will certainly unite it”
― Vasko Popa, Selected Poems