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.

cut through my white skin
like lashes—
a challenge for the knife
of your I love you.

–Vanya Angelova,
Translated from Bulgarian
by Katerina-Stoykova Klemer
The Season of Delicate Hunger (2013)

More posts about The Season of Delicate Hunger:

• Meet a Bulgarian Poet: Vladislav Hristov
• Meet a Bulgarian Poet: Valentin Dishev
• Meet a Bulgarian Poet: Emanuil Vidinski
• Meet a Bulgarian Poet: Petja Heinrich
• Meet a Bulgarian Poet: Yordan Efftimov

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.