CAROLINE CARVER

The two of us

Rex said that if I cut myself in half
(straight down the middle: heart to one side
cracked ribs to the other) I wouldn’t look anything like the pictures
because they don’t show feelings;

he said my heart was more like the roundy bit
at the bottom of the pendulum
in the science museum
the one that moves as the earth rotates

said my ribs were two matched birdcages
one full of sweet-singing robins and blackbirds
the other with only my parrot in it head to one side
reproaching me for being away so long

Rex, I said I’m not a bird I can’t hop around on one leg
or manage with only one arm and what about only half a brain?
You’ll have to work that one out with the parrot
he said.

Cristina Florea

Caroline Carver
 

In doua
 

Rex zicea ca daca m-as taia in doua
(exact pe mijloc: inima intr-o parte,
coastele sfaramate in cealalta) n-as arata defel ca in poze,
pentru ca ele nu dezvaluie sentimente;

Zicea ca inima-mi semana mai mult cu portiunea rotunjita
din capatul pendulului
din muzeul de stiinta,
cel care se misca pe masura ce pamantul se roteste.

Zicea ca am coastele ca două colivii-perechi,
una plina de macalendrii si mierle cu viers dulce,
cealalta doar cu papagalul meu in ea,
cu capul intr-o parte,
reprosandu-mi ca am lipsit atata timp.

Rex, am spus eu,
nu sunt pasare, nu pot salta intr-un picior,
nici trai cu un singur brat, si ce m-as face doar cu jumatate de creier?
asta va trebui sa dezbati cu papagalul
a spus el.