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Aleš Šteger
from Poetry in Motion
Aleš Šteger was born in 1973 in Ptuj (p-too-ee), Slovenia, where he grew up, then part of the former Yugoslavia ruled by Tito, which gained its independence when he was 18. He published his first collection in 1995 at the age of 22, and was immediately recognised as a key voice in the new generation of postCommunist poets not only in Slovenia but throughout central Europe.
He has published nine books of poetry, three novels and two books of essays. A Chevalier des Artes et Lettres in France and a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts, he received the 1998 Veronika Prize for the best Slovenian poetry book, the 1999 Petrarch Prize for young European authors, the 2007 Rožanc Award for the best Slovenian book of essays, the 2016 International Bienek Prize and the 2022 International Spycher Prize. His work has been translated into over 15 languages, including Chinese, German, Czech, Croatian, Hungarian, and Spanish.
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From Burning Tongues: New and Selected Poems (Bloodaxe Books, 2022)
Translated from Slovenian by Brian Henry
Arna aistriú ón tSlóivéinis ag Colm Breathnach
Reproduced by kind permission of the author and publisher
Gospodarjevi pajki okrog naju Spletajo brezžično mrežo.
Nekdo na drugem kontinentu Na skrivaj prebira najine misli.
Skozi vrata se nič ne vidi. V temi sva manjša od mušic.
Moje dlani sežejo za tabo, Utonejo v zastrto ogledalo.
Ko te končno dosežem, Objamem ves svet.
The master’s spiders are weaving A wireless network around us.
Someone on another continent Secretly reads our thoughts.
Through the door nothing is visible. In the dark we are smaller than gnats.
My palms reach for you, Sink into a veiled mirror.
When I finally reach you, I embrace the whole world.
Tá damháin alla an mháistir ag fí Líonra gan sreanga inár dtimpeall.
Tá duine éigin ar ilchríoch eile Ag léamh ar ár smaointe os íseal.
Níl aon rud le feiscint tríd an ndoras. Is lú sinn ná corrmhíolta sa dorchacht.
Sínim mo dhearnana faoi do choinne, Téann siad á mbá i scáthán folaithe.
Nuair a shroichim tú ar deireadh, Beirim barróg ar an ndomhan uile.
