Centre for Romanian Studies

Florenta ALBU (1934-2003) – “Left – Right …”
Swimming in the mud
we are swimming in this historic misery of ours
and that fear
is shouting at us
from the sides
and from behind us
in an interminable rhythm – that silly continuous
left – right – left!

Whilst we – of old and of new
we dastardly exhausted cowards
sunken up to our ears asking
deafening questions
of ourselves, two by two
forward skew-whiff march
left – right – left!

What might be ahead of us
what might be behind us
how much longer till where
this march in the mud
a historical fear over and over again shouting
left – right – left!

Translated by Constantin ROMAN, July 2003
From the Anthology “Greenhouse effect” (Efectul de sera)(1987)

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