Stella Davis

After burying the monster

After burying the monster
we cannot return home.
We follow the geese skeining south
to the quiet docks, where lie in hulk
our ships once seaworthy.

They let loose a flickering hope.
Who is to say we shan't set sail again, rise
to the occasion as the tide turns? There
are coasts where we never landed: those
secretive shores.

A long time since, we turned on our neighbours,
rending their comfort by way of a sacrifice. "Give
of your best" was the rule.
We obeyed it, didn't we?
All those young men.

Now when a deceit of lapwings ravages the
green corn, it scarcely seems to matter.
Surprising, how long we are able
to eke a living; how many years
since we ate red meat?

We went so far, in the steps of the monster.
But the dint wears away, the road unravels,
the flag we clung to lies shredded,
and we find we cannot bear
to return home.

Alina Petrescu

Stella Davis

Dupa ingroparea monstrului

Dupa ingroparea monstrului
nu ne putem intoarce acasa.
Mergem dupa gastele ce-n stol zboara spre sud,
spre docurile pasnice, unde zac
vasele noastre candva falnice.

Ele ne dau un licar de nadejde.
Cine poate sti ca nu vom inalta iar velele, facand ce
trebuie, daca se schimba cursul? Sunt
coaste unde n-am debarcat nicicand – niste
tarmuri tainice.

E mult de cand ne-am intors impotriva vecinilor
si le-am distrus tihna prin jertfa. "Dati
tot ce puteti" ni se spunea.
Si ne-am supus, nu?
Cu toti tinerii aceia.

Iar acum, cand nagatii prapadesc
porumbul crud, parca nici nu mai conteaza.
E uimitor de cat timp abia
ne castigam painea; cat a trecut
de cand mancam fripturi?

Am mers pana aici pe urmele monstrului.
Dar vlaga ni se duce, drumul se intinde,
stindardu-i facut zdrente
si nu suportam gandul
de a ne intoarce acasa.