Katherine Gallagher

Keeper

You want me to be a lighthouse-keeper? Fine.
I'll set myself up in a spiralled house

with only books and the cat for company.

I'll learn how the sea looks

turned inside out, how bird cries

are thin winding scarves escaping.

I'll handle looking myself in the eye

when I peer down the telescope,

meet silences ragged as runaway clouds.

No one will know how I value

the way the ships' lights radiate,

how I long for their visits.

I'll stay my ground, teach people

to keep their distance,

maybe get to love this sea-life

drop my anchor, forget the city,

its solidity, after the ribbed

slip and slap of sea.

Steliana Palade

Katherine Gallagher

De paza la far

Vrei sa fiu paznica farului? Prea bine.

Ma voi instala intr-o turn cu scara in spirala avand drept tovarasi doar cartile si mata.

Voi invata cum arata marea

intoarsa pe dos si ca tipetele pasarilor

sunt esarfe subtiri si ondulate luate de vant.

Ma voi obisnui sa-mi infrunt privirea

cand scrutez cerul prin telescop

si intalnesc norii fugari ca niste ghemuri de tacere.

Nimeni nu va stii cat pretuiesc

felul cum radiaza luminile corabiilor,

cum tanjesc dupa vizitele lor.

Voi ramane darza pe pozitii, voi invata oamenii

sa ma ocoleasca,

poate chiar voi ajunge sa indragesc viata la malul marii

sa ancorez aici, sa uit de oras,

de soliditatea lui, dupa neintrerupta miscare a valurilor inspumate ce aluneca si se sparg clipocind.