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.

Daniela Bojica

Katherine Gallagher

Paznic

Vrei sa fiu paznic de far? Foarte bine.

Ma voi instala intr-o casa in spirala,

doar cu cartile si cu motanul.

Voi invata cum arata marea

intoarsa pe toate fetele, cum tipetele pasarilor

sunt esarfe subtiri scapate in vazduh.

Ma voi obisnui sa ma privesc in ochi

cand ma uit prin telescop,

sa intalnesc taceri zdrentuite ca norii fugari.

Nimeni nu va sti cat pretuiesc

luminile scrutatoare ale vapoarelor,

cat tanjesc dupa vizita lor.

Imi voi face bine treaba, voi invata oamenii sa stea la distanta

poate ajung sa indragesc viata asta de tarm

Imi voi arunca ancora, voi uita de oras,

de soliditatea lui, dupa clipocitul

valurit al marii.