Twenty Poems

Twenty Poems

Translated by Adam Zdrodowski and Joel Leonard Katz

Flags, Dolphins, Spare Time . . .

Yes, it cost the lives of millions of people . . . You furtively take out a handkerchief. Millions of innocent people . . . And just a moment ago you assured me that you were unaffacted by visionaries, Mao Ze-Dong and Jiang Qing.
The best method for a revolution is alcohol,
Relief can be also brought by the mysteries of oceans.

Open,
my darling, a bottle of cognac and read something to me about intelligent dolphins. (And you assured me that you're unaffected . . . )
Have they been buried yet? But would dolphins treat us differently?

A Night In The Cortez' Camp

Brothers! Don't despair. The moon is not made of silver.
I would have pulled it down long ago.
Doesn't it exhaust the topic?
I'm telling you—
Tenochtitlan will fall tomorrow.

Marquez' Demons

Sierva Maria haunts in dreams.
Vade retro! Vade retro! (Hens cross with parrots . . . )
Her long, white hair turns into old woman's
brows.

The most essential thing is to wake up again.
Go back
to a bed without a canopy.

The Horses of New Spain

There, where they made offerings
of human hearts,

horses wept too,

feeling on their backs
the shivering of half-mad riders.

Because A Lyricist Has Not Appeared In My Poems For A Long Time

The lord of underground labyrinths, the one-eared cat, Jespar—brings
to his hiding place freshly hunted chicks. The men proudly
show them to the children.
Is it the one that takes care of the balance in nature?, Janni asks.
Yes, this is the one that is going to save us from poetry, explains her father,
a vehement opponent of social democrats.

***

You're with me even when I ponder over
microbes, fighting silent wars
on the top of my desk.

Isn't it a wonderful feeling
to settle down permanently
in somebody's head?

I had to tell you about it—
Your previous man acted
a tough guy and, devastated, was silent.

Suffering from Intestine Cancer

These emaciated men suffering from intestine cancer
are silently watching wasps.

One of them is being nimble and fat today.

The Other Side

First there will come your parents and old
friends
Joyful they will stand in a circle around you
asking you to tell them about everything
in detail

When you are finally ready
they will leave to take a well-deserved rest
You will take their place then and you will
patiently wait
You will be joined by several other
people well-known to you

And then?
Then you will see the one who is going to replace you in the end
Joyful you will stand in a circle around him
asking him to tell you about
everything in detail

When he is finally ready
you will go to take a well-deserved rest
With you several other
people well-known to you
And thus it will all happily
come to an end . . .

The Rose Demands A Poem

The rose demands a poem sensitive to a lizard's tongue,
crooked cumulus clouds or the gesticulation of deranged
children.
(You remind me of a rose, my cunning rose!)

She would like a lofty day, a betrayal or a duel over a demonic
woman
that would have cheeks as smooth as her delicate
petals.

Could the rose be a feminist?
A calculating politician?
(Thinking about the rose, I associate independence or only domination.
A lot of blood has been spilled, and the rose took part in this incident . . . )

A withered rose or a juicy rose . . . (The rose doesn't have to be connected
with baroque lyricists exclusively, the rose was also inspiring to lonely
astronauts and ruthless procurers of all descriptions.)
The rose has always been the muse of poets.

Does this poem give...