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.

Ioana Tudor

Katherine Gallagher

De veghe

Vrei sa fiu cel ce vegheaza in far? Prea bine. Ma voi instala intr-o casa in forma de spirala, doar cartile si o pisica imi vor fi companie.

Voi invata cum arata marea

intoarsa pe toate partile, cum tipetele pasarilor

sunt serpuiri eliberate, esarfe subtiri.

Voi invata sa imi infrunt privirea

atunci cand voi privi prin telescop,

voi intalni taceri croite ca norii calatori.

Nimeni nu va sti cat de mult pretuiesc

felul in care luminile vapoarelor radiaza,

si cat de mult tanjesc dupa prezenta lor.

O sa raman aici si ii voi invata pe oameni

sa pastreze distanta,

si poate voi ajunge sa-mi iubesc existenta marina

sa-mi arunc ancora, sa uit orasul, consistenta lui, dupa al marii

unduios balans.