Samplings

you must appeal to the conscience of trees their calm is the sign of confidence that you’ve coveted for ages even with a budding mind

Translations from the Hungarian By Paul Sohar  

Tamas is the link between the two divergent societies portrayed in this evocative story of human intrigue and ambition, desire and betrayal, commitment and infidelity.   Tamas is the link between the two divergent societies portrayed in this evocative story of human intrigue and ambition, desire and betrayal, commitment and infidelity. As he flees his homeland in Eastern Europe and arrives as a refugee in Canada, Tamas must battle with bureaucracy to set himself free from his past and ensure that his family can join him in his new life. He finds kindness and compassion too along the way as he struggles to learn a new language in an alien place and find the work that will be the key to his future success.  

Done taking stock. / Nothing to add. / Blank white wall.

Dedicated to Lawrence Ferlinghetti on the occasion of his acceptance and subsequent rejection of the 2012 Janus Pannonius Poetry Prize awarded by the Hungarian PEN Club.

Snap me up in your jaws and run off with me to join the shades of this world without souls. But if you try to devour me or plant a tree of fear inside me, I'll laugh at you.

A sweeping wind soaking everything / And drying its time-bandages on my back. / I’m undecided between dream and reality.

our Lord / if you are indeed / an invention of ours / and we are / creations of yours

Blue-bleached clouds are / grazing over the camp / servantwinds scrub / the night clean / time sits around

this snowfall smarts / I’m in it up to my neck / waiting for you / since this morning