Elizabeth GRECH is a self-taught translator and works with various cultural and artistic organisations. She is a literary translator and translates contemporary Maltese poetry into French. Many of her translations have been published in book form and in literary journals. Her own poetry has appeared in a number of collections and reviews in different languages. Her first poetry book “bejn baħar u baħar” was published by Merlin Publishers, Malta (Feb 2019) and its Italian version entitled “Terre sospese” is soon to be published by Carta Canta, Capire Edizioni, Forli, Italy (July-August 2019).
Please visit Elizabeth GRECH’S site: unemeretlautre.com
I seek you
with my toes
and you,
soak my thoughts,
rinse my blood.
I let you lull me
and birth
new wings
on my back.
(© translated by Kenneth Scicluna)
Islands
Take me along
let’s iron out the creases,
stitch the tears
in the Mediterranean.
If there’s any room for me,
let me dissolve
through your flesh’s tender
hairline cracks.
And let me string,
suspend
a necklace of bay laurel
between your isle
and mine.
Come,
rest your head
upon my shoulder,
set sail your thoughts
over the scent
of cedar
from the plaits
you wove into my hair.
(© translated by Albert Gatt)
Published with the permission of Elizabeth GRECH
Photo of Elizabeth GRECH by Zvezdan Reljic