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.

Raluca Ioana Manolescu

Katherine Gallagher

Paznic la Far

Vrei sa fiu paznic la far? Bine.

Ma voi instala in incaperea sub forma de spirala

doar cu cartile si pisica alaturi.

Voi invata cum arata marea

intoarsa pe dos, cum sunetele scoase de pasari

se aseamana cu slabe unduiri ale esarfelor in zbor.

Voi fi in stare sa ma privesc in ochi

cand ma uit cu atentie in telescop, si sa vad cum

marile linistite sunt tulburate precum norii plimbatori.

Nimeni nu va sti cat pretuiesc

felul in care lumineaza vapoarele,

si cat astept vizitele lor.

Voi ramane ferm pe pozitii, invat oamenii

sa pastreze distanta, si poate chiar sa iubeasca

viata la mare.

O sa arunc ancora undeva, sa uit de oras,

de soliditatea lui, in favoarea valurilor involburate si zgomotoase.