With What Time…

Photo by Ian Lai on Unsplash

And so I break my silence. It’s been more than a year since I posted. In the interim, I have been on a new journey in Japan. I moved to a new city, am trying new things, and learning more about the world in which I live. Life, with all of its many intricacies, is wonderfully fascinating–when we slow ourselves down enough to appreciate the ease and challenge of it all.

まだ静かなりたくないです。声まだがりますだから。命は本当に面白いですね。。。でもよく私たちは気に付きません。毎日働きまして心配して食べすぎる飲みすぎる「これは命です」と言います。そして。。。

Ich wünsche mir, dass wir einen anderen Weg finden können. Jeden Tag versuche ich zu verstehen, was eigentlich der Sinn meines Lebens ist. Ich habe noch keine Antwort. Jedoch bin ich glücklich.

A volte mi chiedo dove dovrei andare. Dove potrei trovare la mia casa, la mia famiglia, me stessa? Dove sarò domani o dopodomani? A volte sembra che qualsiasi cosa facciamo e chiunque siamo o scegliamo di diventare non sia mai abbastanza per gli altri.

Still, I am enjoying the process of it all. As such, I have decided to begin writing again. I am still working on teaching myself Japanese, trying my best to keep Italian and German.

Also, every now and again, I remind myself that my thoughts exist in English, too.

With What Time I Have

let the snowflakes fall,
turn my hair from black to white,
smiling, I drink tea.

Con il tempo che ho a disposizione

I fiocchi di neve cadono, trasformando i miei capelli da neri a bianchi –
sorridendo, bevo il tè.

Mit der Zeit, die ich habe

Schneeflocken fallen und färben mein Haar von schwarz zu weiß –
Lächelnd trinke ich meinen Tee.

この命の時間に

雪が降って、私の髪を黒から白に染める -。
微笑みながら、お茶を飲む。

Sometimes we cannot understand our paths as we walk. Sometimes we are judged, rightly or wrongly, for what we choose. What I have come to understand is that the most important thing that any of us can do is live…and live now.

So, with what time you have, how shall you spend it?

As for me, I am enjoying my tea and watching the seasons and myself change.

Until next time…

Poetry | 静か (Quiet) | Japanese & English

Image from Unsplash

静か

一人なので、
私の心は静かです。
冬の静かな深夜に
思い出や雪が
いつもやって来ます。

Quiet

Being alone,
my heart remains calm.
In winter, a deep silent night,
memories and snow
always seem to come.

Translation | Untitled Poem (Italian)

I tried to translate the previously posted poem into Italian. 😅 Perhaps it makes no sense. I am sorry. 😓

(Ho provato a tradurre la mia poesia. 😅 Forse non ha senso. Mi dispiace.)😓

Senza Titolo

Ti desidero.
Non parliamo di piacere o d’amare
come ingenui amanti.

Desidero il tuo aspetto fisico
che posso guardare, con gli occhi
E, ogni giorno, lo tocco con la mente.

Non mi interessano
la tua posizione ed il tuo prestigio.

Il mio desiderio è, certamente,
una cosa volgare.

Il mio desiderio non ha il tempo
per le sottigliezze di un appuntamento romantico.
Non ci sono nè vino, e nè lume di candela.

No. Ti desidero.
E questo è tutto.

Writers’ Cafe in Rome: Take 2 (Caffè della scala)

Image by Adam Croft. Click to visit his blog.

Image by Adam Croft. Click to visit his blog.

It’s that time again. Tomorrow, I will be hosting the Writers’ Cafe at Caffè della scala on Via della scala (4) in Trastevere. Event is from 6PM to 8PM.  Hope you can make it out! 🙂

 

Valentine’s Day? Don’t Say “I Love You.” Say Something Else (In Italian).

image and poem by D. Blake

image and poem by D. Blake

Hmm…It’s Valentine’s Day. I’ve yet to venture outside to witness the parade of couples flaunting their love–no, I’m not bitter or anything like that. 😉  I simply don’t celebrate many special (any) days.

Still, I thought I would do my part by sharing some words in Italian and Englishi that, were I in a relationship, I would use instead of having to say “I love you.”

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!

D.

—–

*Yes, I made a decision not to use the imperative in the first line, which would have been: Amore, non legarmi alle parole piccole…

I’m still undecided whether or not I will change it. 🙂

Cercarle

Amore, non mi leghi alle parole piccole,
insensate, indefinibili, ma inebrianti.
Le parole volano, ne sai, quando sono parlate.

Invece di cercarle nella voce mia,
cercarle nel mio comportamento,
cercarle nei miei taciti pensieri,
cercarle nel mio cuore che batte ogni respiro
fino alla prossima volta quando ci incontriamo,

e cercarle in questi occhi che non ne avranno mai
abbastanza di vederti e vogliono bruciare
l’immagine di te nell’anima mia per l’eternità.

—-

Another version:

 

Basic Translation 

Search for them

My love, do not bind me with little words,
meaningless, indefinable, but intoxicating.
You know that spoken words are fleeting.

Instead of searching for them in my voice,
search for them in my behaviour,
search for them in my unspoken thoughts,
search for them in my heart that beats each breath
until when next we meet,

and search for them in these eyes that will never have
enough of seeing you and want to burn
your image within my soul for all eternity.

Writers’ Cafe at Meccanismo in Piazza Trilussa (Rome)

Image found via GIS and modified with Gimp. Click to visit event's page on FB.

Image found via GIS and modified with Gimp. Click to visit event’s page on FB.

I’ve decided to begin a writers’ social in the early evenings on Thursdays.  Ideally, it will become a space for writers (any genre) of all levels to share their thoughts about writing and their personal work, provide support and inspiration for each other.

Hopefully, we can make this into a community. 🙂

If you are in Rome, hope to see you on Thursday at Meccanismo in Piazza Trilussa!

—-

Wanting To Share Your Work With An Audience?

Don’t Forget: Jahan Genet’s

Suddenly Every Wednesday at Bar Garbo in Trastevere!

Best,

D.

25 Sept 2014 | Book Presentation & Reading by Caleb Crain of Necessary Errors

In Rome? Join me for this event!

JCU // Creative Writing Workshop

Image found: http://mashable.com/ Image found: http://mashable.com/

A Book Presentation and Reading by Caleb Crain:

Sponsored by the JCU Institute for Creative Writing and Literary Translation

WHEN: Thursday, September 25, 2014,  6:30-8:00 PM

WHERE: Aula Magna Regina – Guarini Campus

The Institute for Creative Writing and Literary Translation in collaboration with the United States Embassy and the LGBT Alliance Club will be sponsoring a presentation and reading of Caleb Crain‘s debut novel,Necessary ErrorsThe novel has already been praised as “one of the year’s best books” by the Wall Street Journal.

The reading will be followed by a Q&A session, as well as a panel discussion featuring Mr. Crain,Professor Carlos Dews,representatives of the LGBT Alliance Club, Mr. Andrea Maccarrone, Chairman of Rome’s Circolo Mario Mieli, and Federica Aceto, the novel’s translator.

RSVP: cwinstitute@johncabot.edu

Download official event invitation.

Please show photo ID at the entrance.

(From the John…

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