Lidija Nikčević: Stanica

Great Britain

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

FRANCE

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Germany

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Italia

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Albania

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Poland

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Russia

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Slovakia

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Sweden

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

Slovenija

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic

North Macedonia

SIMULATING AN ACCOMPLICE

Here we go: I can imagine streets

you unsteadily walked along, practice steps

and recognize odors of rooms, clothes

and household furniture. The insomnia I already possess,

and have long since traveled through labyrinths.

With a little help from imagination, I could re-enact events

from my childhood and youth. (The hardest would be, indeed,

the dark period.) Fictions are, anyway, incomparably

more reliable than facts. I would study a language,

practice the accent. Would learn all kinds of things about wars,

religions, the most about books, and about love

and tigers — somewhat. I would cope somehow

even with too inquisitive people, but would always

pick only one to speak to.

While they would be reading me, people would know

it is their lives they are reading about. Time and space,

my states of mind — would not matter much.

Of course, I would lay claim to your verse, too;

others would say it is in the manner of

your games with doubles. All in all,

I would honorably play the accomplice’s role.

Translated by Uros Zekovic