The Grasses of the Earth

Listen

Wake up my black eyed one I’ve come to your neighbourhood,
I have brought you a golden tress to plait your hair.

Your black eyes and your white neck
will make me lose my mind.

Black eyed one of the neighbourhood bear this in mind;
I come here for you and not for your parents.

The grasses of the earth and its dandelions
it is her black eyebrows I want to kiss.

I pass by and I don’t greet you, I lower my eyes;
I do this for the neighbours but I take pride in you.

You have stabbed me, no wound is apparent
and apart from you no doctor avails.

I say good evening to someone, I won’t mention the name
Because if I utter the name I will sit and weep.

You torment me but what can I say?
I bear everything because I love you.

Translated by Mania Seferiades

Ξύπνα μαυροματούσα μου

Tης γης τα χορταράκια

Ξύπνα μαυροματούσα μου κι ήρτα στη γειτονιά σου,
χρυσά μπλεξούδια σ’ έφερα να μπλέξεις τα μαλλιά σου.
Τα μάτια σου τα μαύρα κι ο άσπρος σου λαιμός,
αυτά ’νι που μι κάνουν κι γένουμου λουλός.

Μαυροματού της γειτονιάς βάλτου καλά στο νου σου,
ιγώ για σένα έρχομου, όχι για τους γονιούς σου.
Της γης τα χορταράκια και τα ραδίκια της,
να τα φιλήσου θέλου τα μαύρα φρύδια της.

Πιρνώ κι δε σι χαιριτώ, τα μάτια χαμηλώνου,
του κάμου για τη γειτουνιά μα ’γω σι καμαρώνου.
Μαχαιρουμένου μ’ έχεις πληγή δε φαίνιτι
κι άλλους απού σένα γιατρός δε γένιτι.

Καλησπερίζου μια ψυχή κι τ’ όνομα δε λέου,
γιατί αν πω του όνομα, θα κάθουμου να κλαίου.
Ισύ μι βασανίζεις μα τι μπουρώ να πω,
ούλα τα υποφέρνου γιατί σι αγαπώ.

Information

Collaborators

Albums

Recording information

Studio recording, 1984.

In Domna Samiou’s music archive there is a recording of the song made by Nikos Karageorgiou in 1982 in Nea Makri, Attica.

Wake up my black eyed one
Nikos Karageorgiou, 1983 © Domna Samiou Archive

Member Comments

0 Comments

Post a comment


up to 2000
Login to post a comment

See also

d14_badge
Song
I Come and You Are Asleep
I come and you are asleep amid the white jasmine, wake up wherever you might live and be, my bushy lemon tree. My partridge...
d14_badge
Song
Attaris
I vowed to the Holy Virgin not to sing again. Attaris! But for your sake I will break the vow. Four! Once again four bl...
d28_badge
Song
I Will Sing Tonight
I will sing tonight with the singers, my little duckling, with the singers, save your love for me. With the lads of Liviss...
pa970_badge_karageorgiou
Partner
Nikos Karageorgiou
Informer (1903-1997). Nikolaos Emm. Karageorgiou was born in Makri, Asia Minor, and settled in Xylokeriza (Nea Makri) of Attica follow...
d14_badge
Song
Roumbalia - Carnation
Who has seen a love-sick youth and a thief of love? Roumbalia,1 carnation, birds circle around you. He wakes up with sighs...
d14_badge
Song
The Water of Life
Olmaz The water of Life flows from your sweet eyes. I asked you for a little but you didn’t give me any to drink. Impossible, my ...
d14_badge
Song
The Young Meliots
Two young Meliots got up to dance the syrtos, they will ask us for songs and commendations. Come, let us go over there and ...
d14_badge
Song
Yatzilariani
I brought you a Good Evening, give me a Good Night I had no business here, I came only for you. Come out that I may see yo...
d14_badge
Song
You Have Entangled Me
You have entangled me, you have, like a bee, I am fed up being your slave and also your ransomer, my little one. You have...