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.

Reluta Paune

Katherine Gallagher

Paznicul

Vrei sa fiu un paznic de far? Fie.

Ma voi stabili intr-un turn

Alaturi de carti si de o pisica, sa-mi tina de urat.

Voi invata secretele marii,

Cum sunetul pasarilor

Se roteste liber, asemenea unor esarfe fine.

Ma voi cerceta si pe mine

Cand voi privi prin telescop,

Iar linistea va disparea precum norii in miscare.

Nimeni nu va stii cat de bine

Voi coordona lumina catre vapoare,

Sau cat de mult voi tanji dupa vizita acestora.

Voi ramane in loc, determinandu-i pe oameni Sa stea la distanta,

Si poate chiar sa ii fac sa iubeasca viata pe mare.

Sa arunce ancora, sa uite de oras,

De influenta acestuia, privind

Miscarea ondulata si plescaitul usor al marii.