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?

Mihaela Guzu

Carol Rumens

De-ai fi

Si de-ai fi doar tu
tu, numai tu, tu pana la capat
si n-ar mai fi ramas nimic din sclipitorul nostru negot
de scanteiere mentala si dulceata a sangelui; daca
s-ar dovedi ca n-a fost decat flirtarea si zorzoanele, marele noroc
ca s-a-ntamplat orice, ca am atins culmea extazului impreuna, eu
adulmecand sudoarea ta ca de om
si stralucirea ta, ca ti-am vazut penele si parul
inflacarat pe capul ca de capetenie incasa, desi
fulgerator, cat tine un chibrit, la lumina caruia
doar focul meu s-a vazut, in toate timpurile cu exceptia acestuia,
m-ai ierta oare, o, cuvantule?
 

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
se dedica Lidiei Vianu

Am mers la stramtoare;
Ne-am invelit cu marginea slinoasa a Atlanticului
Si-am inghetat intr-o groapa de noroi a iernii.
Ne-am catarat pe-un nor si ne-am lasat capetele-n urma.
Am fotografiat un curcubeu ce a iesit alb.
Am plantat o padure de marar.
Am catat s-ascultam bisericile cantand in galeza.
Noaptea, pe camp am incercat sa adun rufe cazute
Dar erau doar tivurile umbrei aruncate de luna.