EVA SALZMAN
Brooklyn Bridge
(designed by Roebling and finished by his daughter-in-law Emily)

This one's mine: not a nail-less Bridge of Sighs
nor a stage, where enemies or film crews shoot
but trembling on a net of "wheres" and "whys",
part Asses' Bridge, part Al-Sirat, less Iron Brute,

more hunkering church, grown from Gothic grey,
its cables spun from spiders bred in books.
That dark harp was made for me to play.
And however dark, I couldn't help but look

at ever darker slights, their height and girth
stringing me high above the traffic's hum.
I was harnessed by a yoke of fear, from birth,
less myself while adding to that sum -

the way the architect's now ailing daughter
laid her father's body, right across the water.

EVA SALZMAN
Podul Brooklyn
(proiectat de Roebling si terminat de nora acestuia, Emily)

Acesta-mi apartine: nu vreo Punte a Suspinelor fara de tinte
Nici vreo scena unde dusmani sau echipe de filmare trag
Doar tremurand pe o retea de «unde» si «de ce»-uri,
In parte Pons Asinorum, in parte Al-Sirat, mai putin Monstru de Fier

Mai mult biserica ciucita, din cenusiul Gotic rasarita
Odgoanele i-au fost tesute de paianjeni izvoditi din carti
Acea harpa sumbra mi-a fost sortit doar mie s-o instrun.
Si oricat de sumbra, totusi nu m-am putut opri sa nu privesc

La mici portiuni tot mai intunecate, inaltimea si circumferinta lor
Tragandu-ma in sus deasupra traficului uruiala.
Am fost priponita de un jug de teama, de la nastere,
Tot mai putin eu insami pe masura ce m-adaugam acelei sume –

In felul in care fiica arhitectului, acum indurerata
a-ntins corpul parintelui sau drept peste apa.
 

Traducere: Elena-Carmen Bobocescu