Fairy lady of spring – Inner Flame – Poems in English

Title “Fairy lady of spring”, Chapter “Inner Flame”

— Photo taken at Eklisohori, Epirus, Greece 2004. Photographer Theo Stamatiades.
Πριν από αρκετό καιρό παρακολούθησα στην τηλεόραση ένα ντοκιμαντέρ σχετικά με την καθημερινότητα και την παράδοση των κατοίκων της Ηπείρου. Τότε ένας γέροντας ορεσίβιος διηγήθηκε ένα παραμύθι και το έκανε με τέτοιο τρόπο, που έμοιαζε με γεγονός. Μου κίνησε το ενδιαφέρον και κατέγραψα την ιστορία φοιτητής ακόμα. Μερικά χρόνια αργότερα έκαμα από την ιστορία ένα τραγουδιστό ποίημα και αυτή είναι η απόδοσή του στα Αγγλικά.

Many years ago I watched on the TV a documentary regarding daily living and tradition on the Greek highlands. Then an old man, a highlander, came to speak and he narrated a fairy tale, but did so in such a manner, that it seamed he was telling facts. I was so interested, that I wrote the story down still a student. Some years later I composed a sung poem out of it. Here’s the translation of the Greek poem in English.

A homeland legend says that on the first day of spring, fairies dance on plains and hills. Daughters breeding of June dance with grace and beauty to welcome the coming of May. Legend says that the man who snatches a fairy’s kerchief, grants the lady for himself. At dawn I’m hidden in the thicket waiting for them to show up. My heart shivers in the thought I may become a fairy’s man. Come my lady let’s rejoice together! Don’t be frightened, don’t run away. My flute sounds charming and sweet throughout the valley. A lady stands and looks at me and our eyes meet promisingly. She was caught like a bird in a trap and then quickly I snatched the kerchief from her hand! Come my fairy lady; let me ease your sorrow, far away from your gracious homeland, you get sad and cry. By the coming of next spring the fairy blossomed and when she kindly asked for it I gave the kerchief back. She rejoined the fairies dance, with laughter, cheers and joy; then the ladies stepped up and shortly got out of sight. Come my fairy lady like the gentle rain of spring, meet again with me next May and spend some time with me.