Flowers, Girls and Boys

Outside, it snows with a reminder of childhood, and over me are snowing memories. Alla Pugacheva sings silently to me Million Roses, and my thoughts escape to my former elementary school classmates with whom I often played Flowers, girls or boys. How many children have heard of this game now? I don’t know how to answer, but the lyrics sneak into my soul and trouble me again: mais dans sa vie il y avait / le merveilleux champ des roses. Clichés that I didn’t think about imprint on my retina, and they look for me. It snows with questions in this game-like life.

(Translated by Diana Pașcanu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)

The Fence that Separates Us

Petrică’s grandmother told her nephew how her life changed one day. Her husband and her two sons left at the break of dawn to the vigil of a relative from the neighboring village. Bad luck followed them, because the border was drawn behind them – some kind of fence that could not be jumped, had no gate or stile. Their lives have changed. They approached the border and sang in the summer. Through the lyrics they shouted their longing. Grandma and her daughter squealed as they wiped their tears in their handkerchiefs and their hearts shattered.

(Translated by Oana Georgiana Minea / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)

Shipwrecked on a Deserted Peninsula

I sailed the literary creation sea and every time I wanted to drop my anchor, I would find places taken over by titans. I revolted, asking for rights for dreamers, poets, novelists and other misunderstood ones. Of course, I never got an answer. In desperation, I promised to remain anonymous and got thrown on a peninsula that has been reserved just for me. I finally have my own place, but it’s taboo. No one visits or appreciates it. The ones on the mainland have been initiated and recognised and have long left this territory of the novices.

(Translated by Carla Bețianu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations

Romania, year 3050

Welcome to the Romania of 3050. Everything is perfect. People are enjoying the nature that has been saved from the ecological disaster. The work is done with responsibility and with pleasure. The money disappeared. Everyone gets what they need. The school is truly holistic. Daddy, Daddy wake up. It has been announced that the electricity will be cut off for a month, the radiators are cold, the stores are closed. He looks at the girl confused, while his inner voice whispered: Wake up, Romanian and stop dreaming of a utopian world.

(Translated by Zahra Kazemi / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)

The wireless phone

For pity’s sake, I asked for one thing only. She had to go to nana with a query from me and bring me the answer. The kiddie ain’t listened to me. She stopped by a pal to play some Pokemon or so and then send the pal’s kid sister to nana. This one stopped by the pizzeria and gave the message to a kiddie that was ridin’ an electric tricycle. I know not what this one kiddie did, but I ain’t got nothing back. I should’ve send Marița to nana, ‘cos a neighbour spoke that even if you send her to hell she comes back with what ya need.

(Translated by Mihaela Dumitrescu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)