translated by John Minahane
Reprinted with permission of Arc Publications.
TO MY DAUGHTER ABOUT LOVE
I can’t tell you anything about that,
but one day your journey’ll stop outside a door,
and you won’t have time to take even your clothes,
you won’t be able to greet mother or father,
nameless you’ll receive a name,
you’ll open,
in the sudden brief fissure you’ll see
dark, inscrutable waters,
reflection of a hazy star,
that which you love, unknown,
and all you’ll manage is to
slightly part your lips.
GARDEN: HEART OF LOVE
perhaps… she longed for branching
tended paths
perhaps… she longed for water spurting
from the moss (velvet and tender powdering
of spores)
perhaps… she longed to choose and to fill
separation: he arrived and everything
was whole
perhaps… she longed for the recurring
track. hooves of hibernating
hinds in snow without one single
drop of blood
perhaps… she longed for the shelters of the forest.
to renounce the movement of gifts;
to accept his irreplaceable
uniqueness
INSOMNIA
the little beast that begs with its eyes
lies down near me on the pillow blue and
smooth. i’m tired it says.
i’ll be here with you. i want to be here with you
desire is the portent of every deed
knowledge and love the road which moves
with the body. reasons of the heart
i want to be here with you
SEPTEMBER
in a translucent forest leaves are falling
on the torsos of bodies that make love
with all that still remains
the ocean swallows hair mouth groans
light penetrates to the sea floor
prayer beseeching
sea-change pure endurance
vigilant choice: winter
icon in an immaculate countryside
TRANSLUCENCY
(face between two lines)
all masks are convenient
i shift the place of things’ movement
(desire to change: do not look
flee) no one will look round then
he does not love you. he does not know you.
leave him along with yourself. all
that you don’t need abandon. you won’t be
in the first line of guilt. his skin
under my childhood. desire to embrace him
because he is bad. riverbed. bachbett.
breathe deep on the bed of the stream.
come to me. where precisely you happen
to be now. to love. these seashores.
his mirth like arcades. i will forgive
evil words.