Rain

Dato Magradze

(Georgia)

Translated by Victoria Field

+ Natalia Bukia Peters

Rain drops roll down my face,
freedom is so close,
when rain encourages you to live,
the whole universe is your building plot.

Frontiers of every country disappear,
no need for visas, no standing in long queues—
in the middle of the rain, you who have made its journey,
you wonder whether the rain is rain or a religion.

It has rained over the entire city.
I can hear bells in the chapel of the clouds.
water pours over me from the silver chalice
and I receive communion from the rain.

It rained more heavily,
the rain accelerated.
Glory to the rain, glory to the rain—
even if you don’t come, the rain will certainly come

And raindrops will tremble on your eyelashes.

წვიმის წვეთები დამდის სახეზე,
თავისუფლება ისე ახლოა…
როცა სიცოცხლეს წვიმა აქეზებს,
სამყარო შენი სამოსახლოა.

იშლება ყველა ქვეყნის საზღვარი,
არც ვიზა გინდა,
აქ არც რიგია.
შუა წვიმაში ფიქრობ ნამგზავრი-
წვიმა წვიმაა, თუ რელიგია.

მთელი ქალაქი არის ნაწვიმი,
ღრუბლის სამრეკლოს მესმის ზარები,
მეღვრება წყალი ვერცხლის ბარძიმით
და ვდგავარ წვიმით ნაზიარები.

უფრო დაუშვა,
უფრო იმატა,
დიდება წვიმას, წვიმას დიდება!
და თუ არ მოხვალ მოვა წვიმა და
შენს წამწამებზე დაეკიდება.

Dato Magradze

is a

Wandering Editor for Panorama.

Born in 1962, Magradze is a famous Georgian poet and author of the lyrics of the National Anthem of Georgia. In 1984 he graduated from Tbilisi State University, faculty of philology. At different times Dato Magradze was an editor-in-chief of various newspapers and magazines; worked at various NGOs and organizations fighting for human rights. In 1991 Dato Magradze founded Georgian PEN center and was its president till 2010. David Magradze became the Minister of Culture of Georgia in 1992 and held this post till 1995. David Magradze authored numerous poetry collections and his works are translated into many languages including German, English, Italian, Turkish and Russian. Currently Dato Magradze’s book “Giacomo Ponti” is part of teaching materials of the school “Don Bosco” in Borgomanero. From 2009 he is a member of Academy of American poets. Dato Magradze is participant and laureate of different book Festivals: Lugo, Genoa, Orta, Lugano, Eboli. Among many literary awards and prices in 2011 David Magradze was awarded with a title of Cultural Ambassador and Honorable Academician by Universum – Swiss international society of Culture and in the same year the Swedish academy Nobel committee acknowledged David Magradze’s nomination for the current year’s Nobel Prize in literature. Since 2013 David Magradze is a holder of Diploma de’onore Academia mondiale della poesia“ – Verona member of world academy of poetry, Italy.

Victoria Field

is a

Guest Translator for Panorama.

Natalia Bukia Peters

is a

Guest Translator for Panorama.

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

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