Betrayals
A breeze touches his face And stirs the unfathomable, Buried in the invisible Depths of the past. In fear, he doesn't want To know what it is. Let the dead remain dead, And may the living be oblivious. But life is inexorable And sends him back to the time When his parents Betrayed him for the first time. Later, betrayal after betrayal, Brothers, sisters, lovers and friends. He also betrayed many and himself, And left the sea for the river. Now he looks at the fast-rolling river and Wonders if it would take him back to the sea. Looking Back The wind stirs the glassy surface And the even perfection is alive, The water heaves and murmurs, Woken up from its quiet sleep. It tells you of joyous departures, Of leaving your old world and The rapture of meeting the unknown, Freedom to create your new self, Face fears and purge the enemies within. The sea is mighty and inciting, Calling you to force the moment. But one more look around and You freeze, fearing if you ever return, You'll be alien to your home. Bio: Petar Penda is a professor of English and American literature (University of Banja Luka) and a translator. His translations have been published in renowned journals in the USA and the UK. His poetry was published by "Fevers of the Mind", " Lothlorien Poetry Journal", "A Thin Slice of Anxiety" and "Trouvaille Review". 3 Poems by Sandrijela Kasagić (translated by Petar Penda) 3 poems by Jadranka Milenković translated by Petar Penda
Fevers of the Mind 
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