Επιμέλεια: Εύα Πετροπούλου Λιανού
SILKY TIMES
We are witnessing
new silky ages.
Old mothers do not give birth to sturdy sons,
the fragile daughters are not like their patriarchal mothers
huddled around the chimney of the family home.
The old red and white thread has been torn
from the cauldron with which my grandmother
every time in front of the fireplace
patched up the shreds of time
from today till tomorrow.
Grandfather used to put his hat on his gray hair,
with the hunting rifle he descended
upon the mountains to hunt wild rabbits.
We are witnessing stingy times.
In the glassy cobwebs
stand only
the silky spiders.
A poem translated by Mishko Panov
SUBMERGED SIDES
I always believed in the changing skin
of the first myths.
The world is born from a pea,
then it suddenly dies in the dark whirlwinds.
The cosmos is born again,
a glassy-eyed newborn
it sees us and reassures us
in the fiery creation.
I always believe in the passing skin
of the last myths.
I stretch the slimy bow
on the bareheaded bubble.
Today the century is drowning in the hot waters.
There is no salvation!
The new Noah
from the sinking ark
is fooling himself
that here and now
in front of us
the truth unfolded.
A poem translated by Mishko Panov
SILKY ROOMS
In the inner rooms
I create a silky haven:
the longings drip along the tiles
made of homeless dreams,
the forbidden thoughts burn
along the paths of nameless pains,
the bodily fluids flow
along the folded edges of paper.
There is no greater tragedy
than to pass the century
in borderline states
anchored onto
one soil only.
A poem translated by Mishko Panov
Marina Mijakovska (1984) is a writer, researcher, senior librarian and a translatоr. She has a PhM and a PhD in Philology. The title of her PhD thesis is Écrituré Féminine and the Novel: Annex to the Feminist Theory of the Genre. The key-points of her interests are the feminine writing, the history of women, the methodology of literature, gender studies and old civilizations. Since 2013 she has been a member of the Macedonian Writers’ Association. Mijakovska is also a member of the management board of the Macedonian Writers’ Association (2022-). Marina Mijakovska is a member of the board of editors of the “Stozer” literary magazine, as well. She is an author of 15 published books. She writes poetry, prose, essays and literary critiques. Her poetry has been translated into: Albanian, Croatian, Slovenian, Romanian, English, Chinese, Serbian, Polish and Czech, and she has also been included in various literary anthologies.
Poetry books: “Nomadic Soul” (2010); “The Suitcases” (2013), “Psychoanalytic Alchemy Of Passions” (2013), “Turquoise In Summer” (2015), “A Bed Of Silence” (2015), “Bony” (2019), “Oqueani i grave” (2020, a poetry collection in Albanian), “Silky Times” (2024); “Poems” (2024, a poetry collection in English co-authored with Sourav Sarkar) and a poetry book for children “New Year’s Children’s Poems” (2017), as well. She has also written short stories books, such as: “The Houses” (2014) and “Stories from Pajko Maalo” (2021). Books with essays and critiques: “Genre Polymer” (2016); “The Models Of Gender Identification” (2018) and “Écrituré Féminine and the Novel: Annex to the Feminist Theory of the Genre” (2021) as well. Literary Awards: The “Korcha poetry evenings” special award (2012), the “Karamanov” award (2013), the “Krste Chachanski” award (2014), the “Beli mugri” award (2015) and the”Danica Ruchigaj” award by the Macedonian Writers’ Association (2019).
Mijakovska is a frequent promoter and moderator at literary and library events. She is the author of the “Women in the rare periodicals” (2024) digital exhibition.
