Brightening of Days

About Gabriel Rosenstock

Gabriel Rosenstock is a bilingual poet, tankaist, haikuist, novelist, playwright, short storywriter, essayist and translator. He lives in Ireland.
Poetry Irish Tanka English Gabriel Rosenstock Cross Cultural Communications Tanka Alfred Freddy Krupa haiku day ekphrastic Tanka Vol
About Gabriel Rosenstock

Gabriel Rosenstock is a bilingual poet, tankaist, haikuist, novelist, playwright, short storywriter, essayist and translator. He lives in Ireland.
Poetry Irish Tanka English Gabriel Rosenstock Cross Cultural Communications Tanka Alfred Freddy Krupa haiku day ekphrastic Tanka Vol
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brightening of Days 
 
Gabriel Rosenstock 
 
 
                     
                 
 
1 
 
 
 
Tanka (5-7-5-7-7 syllables) in Irish, English and Croatian, 
 poems of love, mystery, and longing,  
in response to artwork by Alfred Freddy Krupa (Croatia). 
  
RAZVEDRAVANJE DANĀ 
Tanka (5-7-5-7-7 slogova) na irskom, engleskom i hrvatskom,  
pjesme ljubavi, otajstva i čežnje,  
kao odgovor na umjetnička djela Alfreda Freddyja Krupe (Hrvatska). 
 
Translation into Croatian by Tomislav Maretić 
 
                          
 
 
2 
 
Gabriel Rosenstock is a bilingual poet, tankaist, 
novelist, haikuist, short story writer, playwright, 
essayist and translator. 
 
 
Blog | Books | Website 
 
Published in association with: 
Cross-Cultural Communications 
239 Wynsum Avenue Merrick, NY 11566-4725/USA 
Tel: 516/868-5635 Fax: 516/379-1901 
Email: cccpoetry@aol.com 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cover: Stare kuće pod snijegom/ Old houses under snow/ Seantithe faoi shneachta (1997) 
 
 
 
3 
 
 
 
 
All artwork in Brightening of Days is by Alfred Freddy Krupa (Croatia). 
 
 
Alfred Freddy Krupa (Photo: Dinko Neskusil) 
 
© Gabriel Rosenstock, 2022 (Texts in Irish, English) 
© Tomislav Maretić, 2022 (Texts in Croatian) 
 
4 
 
 
 
5 
 
 
 
 
6 
 
 
 
féach, an Korana 
ag cur thar maoil leis an bhFómhar 
táimse leis, a stór 
     ag cur thar maoil ionatsa 
     ó cuireadh tús leis an domhan 
 
 
 
  
Look, the Korana 
is overflowing with Autumn 
Belovèd, as i 
     overflow in you, gently 
     since the beginning of time 
 
 
 
 
pogledaj, Koranu 
prepuna je jeseni 
Voljena, kao što se ja 
     prelijevam u tebi, nježno 
     od početka vremena 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7 
 
 
 
 
 
8 
 
 
 
dhamhsaíodar, a shearc, 
ba thusa an damhsa sin 
damhsa na gcrann geal 
     fonn Peirseach á dtionlacan 
     tost guairneánach ina lár 
 
 
 
 
For hours, my treasure, 
they danced—and the dance was You 
in silver birches 
     swaying to a Persian tune 
     whirling silence at its core 
  
 
 
 
satima, blago moje, 
plesali su – a ples bijaše Ti 
u srebrnim brezama 
     njišuć se na perzijski napjev  
     vrtložna tišina u svojoj srži 
 
 
 
9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10 
 
 
 
is leo mo laoithe 
an sorcas an áit cheart dóibh 
níl gá agam leo 
     bídís ag leoin is tíogair 
     caitheadh fir ghrinn san aer iad 
 
 
 
 
i’ll give them my songs 
let the circus have them now 
i’ve no use for them 
     feed them to lions and tigers 
     or let the clowns juggle them 
 
 
 
 
dat ću im svoje pjesme 
nek ih sad cirkus ima sve 
nemam koristi od njih 
     nahrani njima lavove i tigrove  
     ili neka klaunovi žongliraju njima  
 
 
 
 
 
11 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12 
 
 
 
sea, cad déarfaidh mé 
cuir focail im' bhéal led' thoil 
is déarfadsa iad 
     n'fheadar cad is ceart a rá 
     cad ba mhaith leat a chloisteáil? 
 
 
 
 
What am i to say 
You must put words in my mouth 
i shall utter them 
     but do i know what to say 
     what is it You wish to hear? 
 
 
 
 
tko sam ja da govorim 
moraš mi Ti staviti riječi u usta 
izgovorit ću ih 
     ali znam li što ću reći 
     što je to što Ti želiš čuti? 
 
13 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14 
 
 
 
mura ndéanfainn é 
cé a fhógróidh an chamhaoir 
tá fhios agatsa 
     gur fhanas im’ thost go ciúin 
     mé ag tnúth leis an lá geal 
 
 
 
 
If not me, who then 
who will herald the red dawn? 
You know, Belovèd, 
     how secretly i’ve waited 
     for the brightening of our days 
 
 
 
 
ako ne ja, tko je onda 
taj koji će navijestiti crvenu zoru 
Ti znaš, Voljena 
     kako sam potajno čekao 
     razvedravanje naših dana 
 
 
 
 
15 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16 
 
 
 
tuigim cad ’tá uaim 
sé ’tá uaim foighne na gcat 
agus croí Krishna 
     mé ag feitheamh leat de shíor 
     ní mharódh an diabhal féin mé 
 
 
 
 
i know what i need 
i need the patience of cats 
the heart of Krishna 
     and wait for You forever 
     Belovèd, nine lives i lead 
 
 
 
 
znam što mi treba 
treba mi strpljenje mačaka 
srce Krišne 
     i čekanje na Te zauvijek   
     Voljena, devet života vodim 
 
 
 
17 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18 
 
 
 
tar i gcabhair orm 
táim im’ chime ag dánta 
ó mhaidin go hoích’ 
     tarrtháil mé le do shéimhe 
     nocht tú féin is beidh mé saor 
 
 
 
 
Come to my rescue 
i’m imprisoned by poetry  
all day and all night 
     rescue me with Your silence 
     show Yourself and i’ll be free 
 
 
 
 
dođi mi u pomoć 
zatočen sam poezijom 
cijeli dan i cijelu noć 
     spasi me svojom šutnjom 
     pokaži Sebe i bit ću slobodan 
 
 
 
 
19 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20 
 
 
 
bheith fágtha gan luid 
aimseofar an fhírinne 
i loime an fhómhair 
     a scuabfaidh an domhan chun siúil 
     más lom istigh atáimid 
 
 
 
 
Stripped of everything 
only then is truth made known: 
this autumn bareness 
     will sweep everything away 
     if we find its source within 
 
 
 
 
lišen svega  
tek tada obznanjuje se istina: 
ova jesenska golotinja 
     sve će netragom pomesti 
     ako u njoj nađemo njen izvor 
 
 
 
21 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22 
 
 
 
táim athchóirithe 
curtha le chéile arís 
chomh maith le fear nua 
     bead im’ smidiríní athuair 
     in am is i dtráth, a stór 
 
 
 
 
i am being restored 
they’re putting me together 
i’ll be good as new 
     then i’ll fall apart again 
     when the time comes, Belovèd 
 
 
 
 
ja se obnavljam 
oni me sastavljaju  
bit ću dobar kao nov 
     onda ću se opet raspasti    
     kad dođe vrijeme, Voljena 
 
 
 
 
23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24 
 
 
 
mo chuid fréamhacha 
lorgaím ionatsa iad 
is cuardach domhain é 
     lorgaím thall is abhus 
     gach áit – is mé leath im’ ghealt 
 
 
 
 
i search for my roots 
i search for them within You 
i’m searching deeply 
     madly, wildly, here and there 
     i am searching everywhere 
 
 
 
 
tražim svoje korijene 
tražim ih u Tebi 
tražim ih duboko 
     ludo, divlje, ovdje i ondje 
     tražim ih posvuda 
 
 
 
25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26 
 
 
 
cén pláinéad é seo 
cad a nochtann romham sa cheo 
Ardeaglais Naomh Pól 
     ó, táim i bhfad ó bhaile 
     rófhada  . . . doshamhlaithe 
 
 
 
 
What planet is this 
what rises up from the mist?   
St. Paul’s Cathedral 
     Belovèd, i’m far from home 
     farther than is possible 
 
 
 
 
koji je planet taj 
koji se diže iz sumaglice 
Katedrala Svetog Pavla   
     Voljena, daleko sam od doma 
     dalje nego što je moguće 
 
 
 
27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28 
 
 
 
ag dul trí thine 
fiú agus é faoi shneachta 
staid intinne é 
    ní fhéadfá sliabh a thabhairt air 
    rud eile is ea Fuji 
 
 
 
 
It seems to take fire 
even when covered in snow 
It’s a state of mind 
    It’s not a mountain at all 
    Fuji is not of our world 
 
 
 
 
čini se da počinje gorjeti 
čak kada je pokriven snijegom 
to je stanje uma 
    to uopće nije planina 
    Fuji nije iz našeg svijeta 
 
 
 
29 
 
 
 
30 
 
 
 
a thaisce, féach air 
Fuji arís; dúirt mé leat 
tá sé gach aon áit 
     cá bhfuil an áit nach ann dó 
     dia uileláithreach é 
 
 
 
 
Look at it, just look 
Fuji again; i told You 
It is everywhere 
     Show me a place where it’s not 
     god-like, it’s ubiquitous 
 
 
 
 
pogledaj, samo pogledaj 
opet Fuji; rekoh Ti 
posvuda je 
      pokaži mi mjesto gdje nije 
      bogolik, svenazočan 
 
 
 
31 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
32 
 
 
 
druideann sé im’ leith 
cén gaol atá agam leis 
mise is Fuji 
     mo chreach, scairtim d’ainmse 
     ní fhreagraíonn mé ach sliabh fuar 
 
 
 
 
Why does it draw near 
what am i to Fujisan 
Fujisan to me? 
     i utter Your name, alas 
     nothing but a cold mountain 
 
 
 
 
zašto se približava 
što sam ja časnom Fujiju  
časni Fuji za mene 
izgovaram Tvoje ime, nažalost 
     ničeg osim hladne planine 
 
 
 
33 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
34 
 
 
 
an domhain í an abhainn 
an domhain iad mo chuid laoithe 
cad is doimhneacht ann 
     tá eagla orainn roimh ár mbá 
     go mbáitear i d’ainm mé! 
 
 
 
 
How deep the river 
how deep are these songs for You 
how deep can one go 
     We fear drowning, Belovèd 
     may i drown now in Your name! 
 
 
 
 
koliko duboka rijeka 
koliko su duboke ove pjesme za Te 
koliko duboko se može ići 
     bojimo se utapanja, Voljena 
     mogu li se sada utopiti u Tvojem imenu! 
 
 
35 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
36 
 
 
 
chuas thar fóir, a shearc 
an iomarca ráite agam 
chuas rófhada leis 
     caithfear gach aon ní a mheas 
     ar scáth realpolitik 
 
 
 
 
i have said too much 
Belovèd, i’ve gone too far 
Everything i’ve said 
 
must be reconsidered now 
 
it’s called realpolitik 
 
 
 
 
rekao sam previše 
Voljena, otišao sam predaleko 
sve što sam rekao 
     mora se sada preispitati 
     to se zove realpolitika 
 
 
 
37 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
38 
 
 
 
fréamhaithe, a chuid 
in amhráin is i ndánta 
bhfuil fréamh ar bith ann? 
     cá bhfuil fréamhacha an aigéin 
     fréamh na géar-ghaoithe os a chionn 
 
 
 
 
Rooted in poetry 
and song, Belovèd! Rooted? 
Roots cannot exist 
     ask the ocean for its roots 
     a savage wind sweeps the waves 
 
 
 
 
ukorijenjen u pjesništvo 
i pjesmu, Voljena!  Ukorijenjen? 
korijenje ne postoji 
      pitaj ocean za korijenje 
      divlji vjetar mete valove 
 
 
39 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
40 
 
 
 
an sorcas ar ais . . . 
cathain a d’fhág sé, a shearc 
boladh bog mionraibh . . . 
     ní imeoidh an sorcas uainn 
     ainneoin a dhíchill, a chuid 
 
 
 
 
The circus is back . . . 
When did it leave, Belovèd? 
Soft scent of sawdust . . . 
     try as it might, it can’t leave 
     the circus is forever 
 
 
 
 
cirkus se vratio… 
kad je otišao, Voljena 
blagi miris piljevine . . . 
     koliko god pokuša, ne može otići   
     cirkus je zauvijek 
 
 
 
 
41 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
42 
 
 
 
na ráillí tréigthe 
leanaimis na ráillí sin: 
teangacha tréigthe 
     treibheanna tréigthe an domhain 
     mise ’gus tusa ’thréig iad 
 
 
 
 
Bare abandoned tracks 
it is these we should follow: 
all abandoned tongues 
     the abandoned tribes of earth 
     it’s we who’ve abandoned them 
 
 
 
 
goli napušteni tragovi 
ti su koje bismo trebali slijediti: 
sve napuštene jezike 
       napuštena plemena zemlje 
       to mi smo koji smo ih napustili 
 
 
 
 
43 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
44 
 
 
 
beitheanna geala 
ní cuimhin linn a dteanga bhinn 
labhradar linn tráth 
     go deimhin féin, a chroí istigh 
     nochtadar a gcuid rún dúinn 
 
 
 
 
Silver birches 
we’ve forgotten their language 
they once spoke to us 
     to all of us, Belovèd, 
     laying bare our secrets . . . theirs 
 
 
 
 
srebrne breze 
zaboravili smo njihov jezik 
jednom su nam govorili 
       svima nama, Voljena 
       otkrivajući naše tajne . . . svoje  
 
 
 
 
45 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
46 
 
 
 
níor thuig éinne iad 
nuair a thángadar ón spás 
seachas beitheanna 
     do thuigeadar a chéile 
     teanga ársa réamhdhaonna 
 
 
 
 
Aliens arrived 
but no one understood them 
they spoke to birches 
     they shared a common language 
     before homo sapiens 
 
 
 
 
izvanzemaljci su stigli 
ali ih nitko nije razumio 
razgovarali su s brezama 
     dijelili su zajednički jezik 
     prije homo sapiensa 
 
 
 
47 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
48 
 
 
 
tá cuimhne ag an gcill 
fiú má tá néal ar an meabhair 
tá cuimhne ag lámh 
     do tharla sé, a thaisce 
     bhíomarna tráth béal le béal 
 
 
 
 
Each cell remembers 
though the mind may grow confused 
a hand remembers 
     Belovèd, we once were real 
     lip to lip for nights on end 
 
 
 
 
svaka stanica pamti 
premda se um može zbuniti 
ruka pamti 
     Ljubljena, nekad smo bili stvarni 
     usnom na usni iz noći u noć 
 
 
 
49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
50 
 
 
 
dúisíonn an chathair 
tosaíonn ag taibhreamh athuair 
táim ag smaoineamh ort 
     dá ndúiseoimis le chéile 
     an bheirt againn taobh le taobh 
 
 
 
 
The city awakes 
to its dreams of sweet slumber 
i’m thinking of You 
     if we could awake, right now 
     awake in each other’s arms 
 
 
 
 
grad se budi 
u snovima slatkog drijemeža 
mislim na Tebe 
     bi li se mi mogli probuditi, baš sada 
     probuditi jedno drugom u zagrljaju 
 
 
 
51 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
52 
 
 
 
bain an ceobhrán sin 
an doiléire aerach sin 
easpa imlínte 
     ón lá seo amach, bíodh spéir 
     is uisce chomh glé le Zen 
 
 
 
 
Take away the mist 
the vagueness and ghostliness 
the lack of contours 
     from this day on, let water 
     and sky be as clear as Zen 
 
 
 
 
izbriši sumaglicu 
nedorečenost i sablasnost 
nedostatak obrisa 
     od ovog dana, neka voda 
     i nebo budu jasni kao Zen 
 
 
 
53 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
54 
 
 
 
seanlaethanta 
ní chuimhním orthu níos mó 
seanlaethanta? 
     laethanta óga atá uaim 
     laethanta nár rugadh fós 
 
 
 
 
The old days, is it? 
i no longer recall them 
What’s with these old days? 
     It’s young days that interest me 
     newfound days as yet unborn 
 
 
 
 
stari dani, zar ne? 
više ih se ne sjećam 
što je s tim starim danima? 
     zanimaju me mladi dani 
     novootkriveni još nerođeni 
 
 
 
 
55 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
56 
 
 
 
chualaís leis iad 
scéalta faoi oileán draíochta 
an ionainn ’tá sé? 
     táimid sa ríocht chontráilte 
     laethanta an mhadra 
 
 
 
 
You have heard them too 
those tales of a magic isle 
Is it within us 
     We’re seeking in the wrong realm 
     through never-ending dog-days 
 
 
 
 
Ti si ih također čula 
one priče čarobnog otoka 
su u nama 
     tražimo krivo kraljevstvo 
     kroz beskrajne pasje dane 
 
 
 
 
57 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
58 
 
 
 
labhair guth, bí anseo 
bí anseo anois, ar sé 
cad is brí leis sin? 
     níl anseo ná anois ann 
     sin ba chóra dó a rá 
 
 
 
 
A voice says, be here 
be here now is what it says 
Where’s here? What is now? 
     there’s no here and there’s no now 
     this is what the voice should say 
 
 
 
 
glas kaže, budi ovdje 
budi ovdje sada je to što veli 
gdje je ovdje? što je sada? 
     nema ovdje i nema sada 
     to bi glas trebao reći 
 
 
59 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60 
 
 
 
tírdhreach mo chroíse 
tírdhreach gan tús gan deireadh 
faoi thuilte atá sé 
     táim báite ar fad agat 
     is ní bhraithim m’anáil féin 
 
 
 
 
Landscape of my heart 
no beginning and no end 
flooded completely 
     i have lost myself in You 
     i scarcely sense my own breath 
 
 
 
 
krajolik mog srca 
nema početka i kraja 
potpuno poplavljen 
     izgubio sam sebe u Tebi 
     jedva osjećam vlastiti dah 
 
 
 
 
61 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
62 
 
 
 
gile na gile! 
cad is fiú aisling ar bith 
gan tusa inti 
     na haislingí ’chuaigh amú 
     is iad caite i bhfásach fraoigh 
 
 
 
 
Brightness of brightness! 
What does it mean, to daydream 
without You in it? 
     How many visions were lost 
     cast to the heathery heath 
 
 
 
 
obasjanost obasjanosti     
što to znači, sanjariti 
bez Tebe u njoj 
     koliko je vizija izgubljeno 
     bačeno na vrištinu vrijeska     
 
 
 
63 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
64 
 
 
 
lucht tógtha Auschwitz 
daoine ar ár gcuma féin 
d’óladar bainne 
     ní ó chíocha dubha deamhain 
     ach ó mháithreacha grámhar’ 
 
 
 
 
Those who built Auschwitz 
they were human beings like us 
they once drank breastmilk 
     not from dry demonic paps 
     but from their loving mothers 
 
 
 
 
oni koji su gradili Auschwitz 
bili su ljudska bića baš kao i mi 
jednom su pili majčino mlijeko 
     ne od suhih demonskih grudi 
     nego od voljenih majka   
 
 
 
65 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
66 
 
 
 
báisteach roimh thitim 
is an ghrian sula scalann 
an sioc á shaolú 
     gaoth sula n-aithnítear í 
     grá sula labhartar siolla 
 
 
 
 
Rain before it falls 
and the sun before it shines 
and the birth of frost 
     and wind before it is known 
     love before it is spoken 
 
 
 
 
kiša prije nego što padne 
i sunce prije nego što zasja 
i rađanje mraza 
     i vjetar prije nego što se zna 
     ljubav prije nego što se izgovori   
 
 
 
 
67 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
68 
 
 
 
laethanta samhraidh 
breis ama chun machnamh ort 
an t-am féin ag meath 
     táimid ar fán sa tsíoraíocht 
     ar ghathanna a chéile 
 
 
 
 
Lazy summer days 
more time to contemplate You 
time itself decays 
     we drift in eternity 
     along rays of our being 
 
 
 
 
lijeni ljetni dani 
više vremena za razmatranje Tebe 
vrijeme se samo raspada 
     plovimo u vječnosti 
     duž zrȃkā našeg vlastitog bića 
 
 
 
69 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
70 
 
 
 
beirigí chuici 
mo chuid laoithe, a éanlaith 
canaigí go binn 
     go fíor is le croí mór maith 
     mar a chan bhur sinsir romhaibh 
 
 
 
 
Take my songs to her 
birds of the air together 
sing sweetly for her 
     sing truthfully, sincerely 
     as once your ancestors did 
 
 
 
 
odnesite joj moje pjesme 
sve ptice nebeske 
pjevajte joj slatko 
     pjevajte istinito, iskreno 
     kao što su nekad vaši pretci 
 
 
 
 
71 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
72 
 
 
 
déan bualadh bos ard 
chun go gcloisfeadh na déithe 
agus na heasa 
     na sléibhte, na haibhneacha 
     foraoisí beo na cruinne 
 
 
 
 
Clap Your hands loudly 
so that the gods may hear us 
and the waterfalls 
     the mountains and the rivers 
     all the forests of the world 
 
 
 
 
pljesnite rukama glasno 
da nas bogovi mogu čuti 
i vodopadi 
     planine i rijeke 
     sve šume svijeta 
 
 
 
73 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
74 
 
 
 
cén fhaid a d’fhanas 
milliún bliain? b’fhéidir níos mó 
is do gheal an lá 
     rugadh i mo dhaonnaí mé 
     chun go mórfainn d’ainmse 
 
 
 
 
How long did i wait, 
a million years? maybe more 
then a new day dawned 
     born as homo sapiens 
     and trained to utter Your name 
 
 
 
 
koliko sam dugo čekao 
milijun godina? možda više 
onda je osvanuo novi dan 
     rođen kao homo sapiens 
     i uvježban izreći Tvoje ime 
 
 
 
 
75 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
76 
 
 
 
an té ’tá sa tóir 
is an té a bhfuil tóir air 
mise iad araon 
     téada lonracha an Fhéin 
     ar fud an iontais shíoraí 
 
 
 
 
Am i pursuer 
in this cobweb, or pursued? 
Surely i am both 
     these glittering threads of Self 
     throughout eternal wonder 
 
 
 
 
jesam li progonitelj 
u ovoj paučini, ili progonjeni 
sigurno sam oboje 
     ove blistave niti Jastva 
     kroz vječno čudo 
 
 
 
77 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
78 
 
 
 
bréagáin na ndéithe 
an é sin atá ionainn 
bí lándáiríre 
     tá cluiche amháin fágtha 
     is scaoilfear an brat anuas 
 
 
 
 
Playthings of the gods 
is that what You think we are? 
Be serious now 
     there is one last game to play 
     before the curtain comes down 
 
 
 
 
igračke bogova 
je l’ to ono što Ti mniš da jesmo 
budi ozbiljna sad 
valja odigrati još posljednju igru 
prije nego što se spusti zastor 
 
 
 
79 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
80 
 
 
 
filleann an éanlaith 
ar an nead nó socraíonn síos 
ar sceach nó ar ghéag 
     cá raghaidh mo chuid laoithe – 
     á gcaitheamh thart san fholús 
 
 
 
 
Wild birds of the air 
return freely to their nest 
or rest on a branch 
     my songs have nowhere to go 
     tossed about in emptiness 
 
 
 
 
divlje ptice nebeske 
slobodno se vraćaju u svoje gnijezdo 
ili se odmaraju na grani 
     moje pjesme nemaju kamo otići 
     razbacane u praznini     
 
 
 
81 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
82 
 
 
 
an bhfeacaís é sin 
d’eitil Fujisan tharainn 
i bhfaiteadh na súl 
     teacht is imeacht Fujisan 
     is deacair coinneáil suas leis 
 
 
 
 
Hey, did You see that 
Fujisan is flying by 
Blink and you miss it 
     Fuji’s comings and goings 
     it’s hard to keep up with it 
 
 
 
 
hej, jeste li to vidjeli 
časni Fuji prolazi 
samo trepni i promaći će 
     Fujijevi dolasci i odlasci 
     teško je sve to pratiti 
 
 
 
 
83 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
84 
 
 
 
oícheanta geimhridh 
solas na gealaí sa bhád 
cuimhnímse, a stór 
     ar ár n-aistear fada beirt 
     sular shroiseamar an domhan 
 
 
 
 
When on wintry nights 
the boat fills up with moonlight 
i think, Belovèd, 
     of our voyage together 
     before we reached this new world 
 
 
 
 
kad u zimskim noćima 
brod se puni mjesečinom 
mislim, Voljena 
     na naše dugo zajedničko putovanje 
     prije nego dosegnusmo novi svijet 
 
 
 
85 
 
Further Reading 
More bilingual ekphrastic tanka: 
 
Every Night I Send You Flowers  
(Bilingual tanka in response to artwork by Odilon Redon.  
Published in association with  
Cross-Cultural Communications, New York, 2020): 
 
The Road to Corrymore / Bóthar an Choire Mhóir 
(Bilingual tanka in response to artwork by various hands.  
Published in association with  
Cross-Cultural Communications, New York, 2021): 
 
Rising Flame of Love 
(Bhakti- and Advaita-inspired tanka in response to artwork on vintage Indian matchboxes.  
Published in association with Cross-Cultural Communications, New York, 2021): 
 
Broken Angels / Aingil Bhriste 
(Bilingual tanka in response to artwork by various hands.  
Published in association with Cross-Cultural Communications, New York, 2021) 
 
Outskirts of the Mind / Ciumhais na hAigne 
(Bilingual tanka in response to artwork by various hands. Published in association with Cross-
Cultural Communications, New York, 2021) 
 
Secret of Secrets / Rún na Rún 
(Bilingual tanka in response to artwork by various hands. Published in association with Cross-
Cultural Communications, New York, 2021) 
 
The Lantern / An Lóchran 
(Bilingual tanka in response to artwork by various hands. Published in association with Cross-
Cultural Communications, New York, 2021) 
 
Short tanka & haiku video-poems from Inner Soul Films: 
 
BUDDHA DIED 
NISARGADATTA 
Haiku (for Julian Assange) 
Haiku(for Ilhan Sami Çomak, 26 years in prison) 
 
86 
 
Early ekphrastic tanka on Pinterest: 
 
Ekphrastic Tanka - Vol 1 - Gabriel Rosenstock 
Ekphrastic Tanka - Vol 2 - Gabriel Rosenstock 
Ekphrastic Tanka - Vol 3 - Gabriel Rosenstock 
Ekphrastic Tanka - Vol 4 - Gabriel Rosenstock 
 
THE DAILY UPDATE OF CAFE DISSENSUS MAGAZINE – WE DISSENT: 
                    
Café Dissensus 
 
Ekphrastic haiku: 
 
Ekphrastic Haiku vol.1 - Gabriel Rosenstock 
Rare Times Kindle Edition by Gabriel Rosenstock 
                            
Free Haiku Books, Chapbooks & other Resources: 
 
STILLNESS OF CROWS haiku by Gabriel Rosenstock 
WHERE THE LIGHT BEGINS haiku by Gabriel Rosenstock 
SILVER BIRCHES: Gabriel Rosenstock Haiku Collection 
MÉ IÓNA I AM JONAH A bilingual haiku sequence by Gabriel Rosenstock 
The Crows of Kilfinane A bilingual rensaku (haiku sequence) by Gabriel Rosenstock 
DUCKS IN SEARCH OF THE MOON Haiku by Gabriel Rosenstock 
THE FLOATING UNIVERSE Haiku by Gabriel Rosenstock 
Caitríona O'Leary StampHaikuSong Video 
Haiku as Gaeilge – 1 Video 
Haiku as Gaeilge – 2 Video 
Haiku as Gaeilge – 3 Video 
                             
Interviews:  
 
Modern Literature: Ploughing a Lone Furrow – Gabriel Rosenstock 
Clio, a Journal of Literature, History, and the Philosophy of History: On Writing Tanka: An 
Interview with Irish Poet Gabriel Rosenstock 
 
 
 
 
 
 
87 
 
Brightening of Days 
 
Tanka poems (5-7-5-7-7 syllables), in Irish, English and Croatian in response to artwork by 
renowned Croatian artist, Alfred Freddy Krupa. 
 
Alfred Freddy Krupa (14 June 1971, Karlovac, former Yugoslavia) is a Croatian contemporary 
painter, master draughtsman, book artist, art photographer and art teacher. Krupa is a 
pioneering force in the New Ink Art movement, known for its minimalism and intensity, an 
international movement rooted in contemporary reality with origins in the Far East. 
 
Gabriel Rosenstock is a poet, haikuist, tankaist, novelist, playwright, essayist, children’s author, 
short story writer and translator. Recent bilingual volumes of poems include Glengower: Poems 
for No One in Irish and English (The Onslaught Press) and Conversations with Li He (Cross-Cultural 
Communications, New York). The Stars Are His Bones (Cross-Cultural Communications 2021) is a 
unique collaborative project with Kolkata-based photographer Debiprasad Mukherjee which 
creates found haiku from Upanishadic texts. 
  
Tanka pjesme (5-7-5-7-7 slogova), na irskom, engleskom i hrvatskom jeziku kao odgovor na 
umjetnička djela poznatog hrvatskog umjetnika Alfreda Freddyja Krupe. 
 
Alfred Freddy Krupa (14. lipnja 1971., Karlovac, bivša Jugoslavija) hrvatski je suvremeni slikar,  
majstor crtač, illustrator knjiga, umjetnički fotograf i učitelj likovne kulture. Krupa je pionir u 
pokretu New Ink Art, poznatom po minimalizmu i intenzitetu, internacionalnom pokretu, 
ukorijenjenom u suvremenoj stvarnosti,  podrijetlom s Dalekog istoka. 
 
Gabriel Rosenstock je pjesnik, haikuist, pisac tanka, romanopisac, dramatičar, esejist, dječji autor, 
pisac kratkih priča i prevoditelj. Nedavni dvojezični svesci pjesama uključuju Glengower: Poems 
for No One na irskom i engleskom (The Onslaught Press) i Conversations with Li He (Cross-Cultural 
Communications, New York.) Zvijezde su njegove kosti (Cross-Cultural Communications 2021.) je 
jedinstveni suradnički projekt s fotografom Debiprasadom Mukherjeeom iz Kalkute koji stvara 
pronađene haiku iz upanišadskih tekstova. 
 
Website:  
https://www.rosenstockandrosenstock.com/ 
In his idle moments, Gabriel invents Nasrudin tales and the first collection of these is Mullah 
Nasrudin is Alive and Well (CCC, New York, 2022).