Katherine Gallagher

Keeper

You want me to be a lighthouse-keeper? Fine.
I'll set myself up in a spiralled house

with only books and the cat for company.

I'll learn how the sea looks

turned inside out, how bird cries

are thin winding scarves escaping.

I'll handle looking myself in the eye

when I peer down the telescope,

meet silences ragged as runaway clouds.

No one will know how I value

the way the ships' lights radiate,

how I long for their visits.

I'll stay my ground, teach people

to keep their distance,

maybe get to love this sea-life

drop my anchor, forget the city,

its solidity, after the ribbed

slip and slap of sea.

Rodica Ionas

Katherine Gallagher

Paznic

Vrei sa ma fac paznic de far? Bine.

Am sa ma mut intr-o casa spiralata

Cu carti si-o pisica doar sa-mi tina companie.

Am sa invat cum arata marea

pe de rost, cum tipetele pasarilor

sunt esarfe fluturand in vant.

Am sa ma pot privi in ochi

cand m-oi uita prin luneta,

sa intalnesc linistea zdrentuita ca norii calatori.

Nimeni nu va sti cat pretuiesc

felul in care palpaie luminile vapoarelor,

cat tanjesc dupa vizitele lor.

Am sa raman neclintit, invatand lumea

sa pastreze distanta,

poate voi ajunge sa iubesc aceasta viata pe mare

am sa arunc ancora, sa uit orasul,

neclintirea lui, dupa zbuciumul

inspumat al marii.