It so happened by Radu Ulmeanu

 

It so happened

by Radu Ulmeanu

translated by Claudia Moscovici

 

It so happened that I had a conversation with destiny

I set up a meeting at seven o’clock

At the corner of a boulevard, so she could advise me

What I should do now with a blonde girl

Whom I didn’t know if she loved me or not.

 

I give you five minutes, I told destiny, to bring her here

(This after I had already roamed the streets several weeks looking for her),

Let’s say, from seven  o’clock to five past seven

To bring her here, destiny, before my eyes

And then I’ll know it’s her, the one I awaited and desired

The one you yourself grabbed in your clutches.

 

And I stayed there at the corner and I began to feel my eyes on fire

As if I had become myself the old woman from the story.

I bore through the passing figures with my eyes

And even saw a few girls stop and stare at me.

 

I had only three minutes left and I was waiting only for her.

Don’t cheat me, destiny, I was thinking,

I asked you for a specific one,

With blonde hair and arched forehead

With traces left by you on her face.

Don’t cheat me, destiny, answer me if it’s her,

If she loves me or not and if I love her.

 

Others willingly place their fate in chance

Old people whose final days weren’t blessed

Adopt any random living being; the first that comes their way

Even if it happens that the snake is their solution.

 

Send me as well the snake, I told destiny

You have one more minute to make me happy,

If happiness exists in this world

You only have a short period of time, a second or two

To reveal to me, somehow, my future.

 

I was about to leave, telling myself that it’s all in vain

When she appeared, the one anointed in gold

And passed like a golden shower by me

Like an entire herd of mares with golden hair

And even hit me in the chest, carelessly, with her hoof.

 

I ask myself, destiny, why did I call you

Why did I force your caring and saintly hand

That opens only the doors that need to be opened

And only when it’s absolutely necessary.

 

Now what will I do with this hole in my chest,

With this door through which resonate the world’s thundering words.

 

All that’s left is to think about

What desolate places she perished, on what steppes and bottoms of seas,

From which she sends me her tumultuous waves

In this solemn city, covered by clouds and by stars.

 

Mi s-a-ntamplat

de Radu Ulmeanu

 

Mi s-a-ntamplat sa stau de vorba cu destinul.

L-am convocat la ora sapte seara

La coltul unul bulevard, sa-mi dea de stire

Ce trebuie sa fac de-acuma cu o fata blonda,

Despre care nu stiam daca ma iubeste sau nu.

 

Iti dau cinci minute, i-am spus eu destinului, sa mi-o aduci

(asta dupa ce fugisem cateva saptamani pe strazi cautand-o),

Uite, de la ora sapte pana la sapte si cinci minute

Sa mi-o aduci, destinule, in fata ochilor

Si-atunci voi sti ca este ea, cea asteptata si dorita,

Aceea pe care ti-ai pus tu insuti gheara.

 

Si-am stat acolo in colt si-am inceput sa-mi simt ochii arzand,

De parca as fi devenit eu insumi baba aceea din poveste.

Am sfredelit cu ochii de foc trecatorii

Si-am vazut chiar cateva fete cum se opreau uitandu-se la mine.

 

Imi mai ramasesera trei minute si-o asteptam numai pe ea.

Nu ma trisa, destinule,  ma gandeam,

Ti-am cerut-o pe una anume,

Cu parul blond si cu fruntea boltita,

Cu urmele lasate pe fata de tine.

Nu ma trisa, destinule, raspunde-mi daca e ea,

Daca ma iubeste sau nu si daca eu o iubesc.

 

Altii se incredinteaza de bunavoie-ntamplarii,

Batrani carora nu le-au fost binecuvantate zilele lor de pe urma

Infiaza o vietate oarecare, prima ce le iese in cale,

Chiar de se-ntampla ca sarpele sa fie solutia.

 

Trimite-mi si mie sarpele, ii spuneam eu destinului,

Mai ai un minut sa ma faci fericit, daca exista fericire pe lume,

Mai ai o vreme scurta, mai ai o secunda sau doua,

Ca sa-mi dezvalui intrcatva viitorul.

 

Chiar ma urnisem sa plec, spunandu-mi ca totul este zadarnic,

Cand aparu ea, cea poleita cu aur

Si trecu ca o ploaie de aur pe langa mine,

Ca o herghelie intreaga de iepe cu parul de aur

Si chiar ma lovi in piept, neglijent, cu copita.

 

Incat ma intreb, destinule, de ce oare te-am invocat,

De ce am fortat mana ta grijulie si sfanta,

Care deschide doar portile ce trebuie dschise

Si numai atunci cind e strict necesar.

 

Acum ce ma fac cu spartura asta in piept,

Cu poarta aceasta in care rasuna cuvintele tunatoare-ale lumii.

 

Nu-mi ramane decat sa ma gandesc

Prin ce pustietati a pierit, prin ce stepe, prin ce funduri de mari,

De unde-mi trimite valurile ei tulburate

In orasul acesta solemn, acoperit de nori si de stele.