Gabriel Griffin

Lament for an illegal immigrant

No moon, but fishermen

are used to that and the sea’s chanting,

the descant of the nets. The decks

silvered with sea verses,

the minims and trebles of fish

hushed into songbooks of ice.

Something didn’t sing, humped

in the net, thudding onto the deck.

Its ears heard no notes, its eyes

were blind to the men standing round,

its throat choked with words

that no-one would hear.

They let the sly octopus

sidle to the ship’s side, forgot to stop

the arch and leap of bream.

The sea moaned, the fish

slipped out of tune, the kittiwakes

hurled screeches like broken strings.

The men unfroze, thumped

what didn’t sing, what was lost for words, over the hissing deck. Tipped what had

no hope, had never had a hope,

back to the sea. No

word, no hymn, no prayer.

But the rags of its clothes cried. The sea

beat its fists on the boat. And the wind got up

and howled till dawn.

Laura Persoiu

Gabriel Griffin

Bocet pentru un imigrant ilegal

Luna nu a aparut, dar pescarii

sunt obisnuiti cu asta si marea murmura coborarea plaselor. Puntile

argintate cu versurile marii,

doimile si sunetele inalte ale peştilor

domolite in carti de gheata cu cantece.

Ceva nu canta, salta

in plasa, bufnind pe punte.

Urechile lui nu auzeau note, ochii lui

erau orbi si nu-i vedeau pe oamenii care stateau imprejur,

gatul lui inecat de cuvinte

pe care nimeni nu le putea auzi.

Ei au lasat caracatita vicleana

sa se tarasca pana la marginea barcii, au uitat sa opreasca

arcuirea si saltul platicii.

Marea gemea, pestii

si-au iesit din ritm, pescarusii

azvarleau tipete ascutite ca niste coarde rupte.

Barbatii si-au revenit din uimire, au azvarlit cu o bufnitura

ceea ce nu canta, ceea ce nu avea cuvinte peste puntea suieratoare. Au rasturnat

ceea ce nu avea speranta, si niciodata nu a avut speranta

inapoi in mare. Nici un

cuvant, nici un cantec, nici o rugaciune.

Dar zdrentele hainelor lui plangeau. Marea izbea cu pumnii in barca. Si vantul s-a intetit si a urlat pana in zori.