Carol Rumens

And If It Was

If it was only for you
all along, all the time, all the way,
and nothing was left of our brightest exchange
of brain-light and blood-sugar; if
it turned out to be just for the flirt and the flak, the great luck
when it worked, when we came, and I caught
the whiff of your sweat, like human sweat,
and your glow, saw your feathers and hair
flare like an Inca head-dress, though
no more than a match-flame, over and out, not catching
anyone’s fire but mine, any time but now,
would you forgive me, words?

Florentina Yvonne Penciu

Carol Rumens

Si daca v-as spune

Daca v-as spune ca voi ati fost totul
de la inceput pana la sfarsit , tot timpul, de la un capat la altul,
si ca nici scrum nu a ramas din schimbul nostru extrem de sclipitor
de lumina cerebrala si zahar sangvin; daca
ar iesi la iveala ca nu a fost decat o chestiune de cochetarie si de scanteiere a doua suflete, marea sansa
atunci cand ne – a calauzit , cand noi am ajuns , si eu am resimtit
damful sudorii voastre , aidoma sudorii trupesti,
si licarirea voastra , v – am zarit penele si pletele
palpaind ca o podoaba incasa purtata pe cap, desi
la fel de efemera ca o valvataie a alchimiei amoroase, intetita si brusc smochinita, neprinzind in mreje
vapaia multimii ci doar pe a mea, acum, si nu in alta clipa,
m – ati ierta voi, cuvintelor, daca v–as spune?

Gwynedd
for Lidia Vianu

We went down to the strait;
We pulled up a grubby edge of the Atlantic
And chilled there in the mud-hole of winter.
We climbed a cloud and left our heads behind.
We took photos of a rainbow: it came out white.
We planted a dill forest.
We listened for the sound of churches singing in Welsh.
In the field at night I tried to pick up fallen washing
But only scrabbled with the hems of moon-shadows.

Gwynedd
Lidiei Vianu

Am descins spre stramtoare;
Am tintuit un tiv soios al Atlanticului
Si am inghetat acolo in tunelul bahnos de iarna.
Am escaladat un nor si am lasat in urma orice cugetare.
Am imortalizat crampeie de braul – cerului: au ramas colilii.
Am sadit o padure de marar.
Am ascultat vrajiti sunetul Bisericilor cantind in velsa.
Noaptea pe camp am incercat sa culeg neprihanitele rufe prabusite
Dar n – am facut decat sa le zdrelesc cu tivurile umbrelor lunii.