Ivan Benak

pučki pjesnik · folk poet  ·  Sopje 1933. – Valpovo 2015.Sopje 1933 – Valpovo 2015

Pjesme za djecu

Jutarnji problemi

iz knjige Žablji sastanak (2005.)

Poems for children

Morning Troubles

from the book The Frogs' Meeting (2005)

Mala djeca s cipelamaimaju problema,misle da je desna,a ono je lijeva.

Little children have such troublewhen putting on their shoes:they think it's the right one,but it's the left they choose.

Djeca nisu krivaza ove probleme,cipele su krive –tu nema dileme.

The children aren't to blamefor troubles of this kind;the shoes are the culprits,there's no doubt in my mind.

Dok djeca spavaju,cipelice ustaju,po dvorištu trčei loptu šutaju.

While all the children snore,the shoes hop down to the floor,they race around the yardand kick a ball, and score!

A kada se umorei kad zora svane,cipelica lijevamjesto desne stane.

And when they're tired of playingand dawn is shining bright,the little left-hand shoestands in place of the right.

Da su one krive,vidite i sami,jer su se pomješalebaš noćas u tami.

That the shoes are guilty,you'll see that I am right:for they got themselves mixed upthere in the dark last night.

Eto, sada znate,djeci nije lakošto im noge malestoje naopako.

So now you understandwhat children all go through,when both their little feetstand backwards in each shoe.

Translator's note. Another copy, titled Cipelice ("Little Shoes"), says the poem was set to music by prof. Želimir Sušić.