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.

Silvia Neculae

Katherine Gallagher

Paznic

 
Vrei ca eu sa fiu paznicul unui far? Bine.

Ma voi instala intr-o casa cu scara spiralata avand doar carti si o pisica drept companie.

Voi afla cum arata marea

pana in strafunduri, cum plansetele pasarilor sunt ca niste esarfe rostogolite de vant.

Voi fi in stare sa ma privesc in ochi

atunci cand ma uit prin telescop,

intampinand taceri zdrentuite ca norii ce se indeparteaza.

Nimeni nu va stii cat pretuiesc

stralucirea luminii vaselor,

cat tanjesc dupa vizitele lor.

Voi ramane aici, voi invata oamenii

sa pastreze distanta,

poate voi ajunge sa iubesc aceasta viata in preajma marii.

Voi cobori ancora, voi uita orasul,

neclintirea sa, dupa zbuciumul

du-te vino-ului valurilor.