Ruth O’Callaghan

Chronicle

...On some days a plash of oars
breaks the sleek of water

and a ripple will rim towards us
eddying outwards in ever fainter circles

as history, once so delineated,
pales into uncertainty

under layers of time, of stories, told,
re-told, Chinese whispers

that hang in the air, re-defining dynasties,
empires, the cartographers’ art

begun in playgrounds where children edge
blues and reds, making squares triangles

in cheap colouring books,
so occupied with such small tasks

that the unseen oarsman
—had you forgotten him?—

rounds the bend while beyond,
where willows sweep the water

and shadows under trees remain motionless,
hanks of mist unravel

like sleeves of shop girls reaching out
in the narrowing of the day.

Corina Chelmus

Ruth O’Callaghan

Cronica

… In unele zile, pleoscaitul unor vasle
sparge luciul apei

iar o unda se va margini catre noi
rotindu-se-n afara in cercuri tot mai vagi

precum istoria, odinioara atat de conturata,
paleste in incertitudine

sub straturile vremii, a povestilor spuse,
raspuse, soapte-n chineza

care plutesc in aer, redefinind dinastii,
imperii, arta cartografilor

inceputa pe terenuri de joaca, unde copii
isi ascut creioanele rosii si albastre, desenand patrate triunghiuri

in carti ieftine de colorat,
atat de ocupati cu sarcini marunte

incat vaslasul nevazut
—ati uitat de el?—

ocoleste malul, in vreme ce dincolo,
unde salciile matura apa

iar umbrele stau inghetate sub copaci,
bulgari de ceata se descalcesc

ca manecile vanzatoarelor intinzandu-se
la scurtarea zilei.