“Another Air” by Vanya Angelova

the horse’s nostrils breathe.
And his moist eye
is half-shut on purpose.
Since he knows,
why does he need to see?
Only habit
still prevents him
from clopping
toward the stars.

–Vanya Angelova,
Translated from Bulgarian
by Katerina-Stoykova Klemer
The Season of Delicate Hunger:
Anthology of Contemporary Bulgarian Poetry
(Accents Publishing)

Vanya Angelova was born on November 4th, 1953 in Plovdiv. She holds a degree in Slavic philology from St. Kliment Ohridski University in Sofia and has specialized in pedagogy of cinema at the Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. Vanya has worked as a teacher, theater dramaturg, cultural consultant, and journalist. She is the author of two poetry books, most recently Possible Travelogues of the Body (2010). Vanya currently lives and works in Thessaloniki, Greece.

6 thoughts on ““Another Air” by Vanya Angelova”

Helen March 22, 2016 at 9:12 am

I am a primary school teacher in England and we have a wonderful Bulgarian lad in our class. After Easter 2016, we will be looking at poetry in our literacy classes. I was wondering whether you would be so kind as to email me any Bulgarian poems that you think would appeal to children that he could translate for us. He is a wonderful ambassador for Bulgaria as he has a positive attitude to everything!

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