KATE FOLEY

No Little Death
 

If the god did them a favour,
godlike, he charged them
more than market price.
No little death to be recovered from

with morning tea and postman’s knock;
but change without death,
pulses transformed into the slow thrumming
of sap, and only fossil tears

to mark each season’s inexorable fruit.
For memory, earth;
for bruised eyelids a willed darkness
deeper than sleep.

Philemon and Baucis look at each other
while they have eyes,
each others tired skin
a marvel of knotted veins, tender shadows

on mouth and wrist.
Quietly they step into that terrible loss,
their white roots wincing
at how close they come.

Anamaria Comes

Kate Foley

Nu-i Moarte Neinsemnata

Pentru o asemenea favoare, divina,
Pretul a fost prea mare.
Nu-i moarte neinsemnata din care sa-ti revii

C-un ceai de dimineata sau cu-o bataie-n usa de postas;

Ci e schimbare far’ de moarte,
Batai de inima ce se prefac in zanganit domol
De seva si lacrimi impietrite

Ce insemneaza rodul negresit
Al fiecarui anotimp.

In loc de amintire, pamant;
In loc de pleoape-nvinetite, intuneric cerut
Mai negru decat somnul.

Philemon si Baucis se privesc
Cat inca mai au ochi,
Pielea lor imbatranita -
O minune de vene noduroase,
pe gura si incheieturi -
umbre plapande.

Tacut se-ndreapta spre acea pierdere cumplita
Radacinile lor albe se cutremura
De cat de tare se apropie.