Carol Rumens

And If It Was

If it was only for you
all along, all the time, all the way,
and nothing was left of our brightest exchange
of brain-light and blood-sugar; if
it turned out to be just for the flirt and the flak, the great luck
when it worked, when we came, and I caught
the whiff of your sweat, like human sweat,
and your glow, saw your feathers and hair
flare like an Inca head-dress, though
no more than a match-flame, over and out, not catching
anyone’s fire but mine, any time but now,
would you forgive me, words?

Alina Barbu

Carol Rumens

Si de-ai fi

Si de-ai fi numai tu
de-a lungul, de-a latul, mereu,
si nimic de-ar ramane din fulgurantul schimb maiastru
de sclipiri neuronale si ambrozii umorale; de
s-ar adeveri ca n-a fost decat flirt si flama, mare noroc
cand cu putinta sa fie a fost,
si ti-am adulmecat izul de sudoare, omeneasca naduseala,
si stralucirea, ti-am vazut penajul si parul
lucind ca o parura de indian, desi a ta
abia un scaparici era, aprins si stins,
ce-aprinde valvataie in mine doar, acuma doar, apoi nicicand,
iertare mi-ati da, cuvintelor?

Gwynedd
for Lidia Vianu

We went down to the strait;
We pulled up a grubby edge of the Atlantic
And chilled there in the mud-hole of winter.
We climbed a cloud and left our heads behind.
We took photos of a rainbow: it came out white.
We planted a dill forest.
We listened for the sound of churches singing in Welsh.
In the field at night I tried to pick up fallen washing
But only scrabbled with the hems of moon-shadows.

Gwynedd
pentru Lidia Vianu

Am mers la stramtoare;
Am poposit pe un mal destelenit de Atlantic
Si acolo ne-am racorit in glodul iernii.
Pe un nor ne-am catarat iar capetele in urma le-am lasat.
Am imortalizat curcubeul: s-a voalat.
Am plantat o padure de marar.
Am ascultat dangatul clopotelor din biserici de rit vels.
Noaptea, pe camp, am incercat sa culeg rufe pangarite
Dar n-am reusit decat sa scarman tivul umbrelor lunii.