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Responses to American Poetry

The aim of this online space is to host the research work of university students or young scholars as this emerges from larger projects focusing on the American poetry scene. The objective of this initiative is to bring this kind of research activity to the attention of the general public in an attempt to further promote the exchange of ideas with regard to the process of reading, understanding and appreciating poetry writing.

  

Tatiani Rapatzikou 
(Associate Professor, School of English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; Advisor and initiative co-ordinator trapatz@enl.auth.gr)

 

 

 

Styliani Chomata

 

Translating Maya Angelou’s “The Lesson”

Το Μάθημα

Πεθαίνω ξανά και ξανά.
Φλέβες καταρρέουν, ανοίγουν σα
Μικρές γροθιές  κοιμισμένων
Παιδιών.
Θύμηση γνώριμων τάφων,
Σαπισμένη σάρκα και σκουλήκια
Δεν με πείθουν να εγκαταλείψω
Την πρόκληση. Τα χρόνια
Και η ψυχρή ήττα ζουν βαθιά στις
Γραμμές του  προσώπου  μου.
Θαμπώνουν τα μάτια μου, κι ακόμα
Συνεχίζω να πεθαίνω,
Γιατί λατρεύω να ζω.

 

The Lesson

I keep on dying again.
Veins collapse, opening like the
Small fists of sleeping
Children.
Memory of old tombs,
Rotting flesh and worms do
Not convince me against
The challenge. The years
And cold defeat live deep in
Lines along my face.
They dull my eyes, yet
I keep on dying,
Because I love to live.

NOTE:

In order to access the poems please go to:

Maya Angelou "The Lesson":
https://prezi.com/xy3hqui_m1aq/the-lesson-by-maya-angelou/