Isis

 

The Earth

within a grain of wheat

the wheat

within a sparrow’s crop

the sparrow

within the snake’s heart

the snake

within an unhoped-for light

and the light

enclosed in a woman

 

She turned into stone or she called for me

or perhaps she kept silent

while I would die and was born again

nonetheless I could not behold Her face…

 

 

The Craving

 

A woman dwelt by craving

lightens the hollowness of the word :

tell me, why am I waiting for you,

tell me, why

do you enchant my mouth,

why do you laugh,

why do you darken,

why do you take me in for the night

into your body

of error ?

 

A man with bones of craving

counts the trees.

 

The craving’s enticing. She’s got hills of craving,

she speaks words of craving.

Who are you ?

Who are you ?

Who are you ?

The craving takes me in for the night

as if into a grit stone.

 

A woman with legs of craving

counts the stones.

 

You’re the summer, she tells them. You’re the blizzard.

You’re the quietness. You’re nothing.

You’re the return.

You’re the one I’m going to marry.

You’re the one I’m going to deliver.

You’re the one I’m not going to bear in mind.

 

Suddenly

her face bursts

into the scream of a tortured lily

and she pauses

and keeps silent

and smiles

staring at the nothingness.

 

English version by Gabriela PACHIA