MAGGIE SAWKINS

Charcot’s pet
 

Before my voice disappeared
like a rabbit up a sleeve
I wanted to be a singer
in the Folies Bergère.

The doctor is a kind man
he keeps me warm,
he feeds me seed cake
and Assam tea.

But sometimes he makes me crawl.
Pick up the crumbs
my little goose.

At night I lie beside him
more silent than a blade of grass.
I allow his cold fingertips
to circle my heart.

Tomorrow, he says,
I must rehearse for the show
in the auditorium of the Saltpêtrière.
The doctors will love me!

He has made me a hat
of peacock feathers.
He has taught me to bark.

When he stares into my eyes
he can make me do anything

But he can’t make me sing.

Alina Olimpia Miron

Maggie Sawkins
 

Animalul lui Charcot

Inainte ca vocea-mi sa dispara
precum un iepure in maneca
Voiam sa cant
la Folies Bergere.


Doctorul este un om bun
ma tine la caldura,
imi da prajitura cu seminte
si ceai Assam.


Dar uneori ma face sa ma tarasc
Ridica firimiturile
gasculita mea.

Noaptea stau langa el
mai tacut decat un fir de iarba.
Ii las varfurile degetelor
sa-mi incercuiasca inima.

Maine,spune el,
trebuie sa repet pentru spectacol
in auditoriul de la Saltpêtrière.
Doctorii ma vor iubi!

Mi-a facut o palarie
din pene de paun.
M-a invatat sa latru.

Cand ochii-i se adancesc intr-ai mei
ma poate convinge sa fac orice

Mai putin sa cant.