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.

Iulia Achidin

Katherine Gallagher

Paznicul

Vrei sa fiu paznic de far? Bine.

Ma voi stabili intr-o casa spiralata

avand drept companie doar cartile si pisica.

Voi invata cum arata marea

intoarsa pe dos, cum tipetele pasarilor

par a fi esarfe fluturate in vant

Voi putea sa ma privesc in ochi

uitandu-ma atent prin telescop,

sa intalnesc linisti imperfecte ca si norii fugari.

Nimeni nu va sti cat pretuiesc

modul in care luminile navelor stralucesc,

si cat tanjesc dupa vizitele lor.

Voi parasi pamantul, ii voi invata pe oameni sa pastreze distanta,

si poate voi ajunge sa iubesc aceasta viata pe mare

voi lasa ancora, voi uita orasul,

soliditatea acestuia, urmand unduirea

si lovirea nervoasa a valurilor.