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?

Arina Lungu

Carol Rumens

Si daca…

Si daca numai voi mi-ati fost de-ajuns
de-a lungul vremii,de la-nceput, demult,
si n-a ramas nimic din schimburile noastre geniale
de sange si lumina; si daca
ar fi fost totul doar un joc – cochetarii si carcoteli, si noroc orb
cand mergea totul struna, si in extaz simteam
mireasma pielii voastre, ca de sudoare,
– va surprindeam sclipirea, si penele jucand in plete
ca-n parul vracilor incasi, desi
pierea cat ai clipi din ochi, ca scapararea de chibrit, si n-aprindea
alt foc decat pe-al meu, alt timp decat prezentul,
m-ati ierta,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 vrut sa admiram stramtoarea;
Ne-am oprit la tarmul murdar al Atlanticului,
Ne-am scufundat in ger ca-ntr-o mlastina, in plina iarna.
Am urcat un nor si ne-am pierdut in ceata.
Am facut poze curcubeului: au iesit albe.
Am plantat o padure de marar.
Am plecat urechea la murmurul de Psalmi in galeza.
Noaptea pe camp am incercat sa-mi adun rufele risipite de vant
Dar mainile-mi intinse n-au prins decat tivurile umbrelor de luna.