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?

Ana-Maria Purec

Carol Rumens

Si dac-ar fi fost

Dac-ati fi fost doar voi
tot timpul acesta, tot drumul acesta,
si n-ar mai fi ramas nimic din schimbul nostru grozav
de lumina a mintii si de dulceata a sangelui; daca
ar fi iesit ca totul a fost doar de dragul flirtului si al atacului, marele noroc
cand a functionat, cand am venit noi, si am simtit
izul sudorii tale, ca sudoare umana,
si stralucirea ta, am vazut penele-ti si parul
umflandu-se precum o parura incasa, desi
nu mai mult decat flacara unui chibrit care se stinge, care nu prinde
focul altuia decat al meu, urcand, dar nu acum,
ma veti ierta vreodata, vorbe?
 

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
pentru Lidia Vianu

Am coborat in stramtoare;
Am ajuns la o coasta soioasa a Atlanticului
Si ne-am racorit acolo in a iernii groapa cu namol.
Ne-am cocotat pe un nor si ne-am lasat capetele in urma.
Am facut poza la un curcubeu: a iesit alb.
Am sadit o padure de marar.
Am ascultat sunetele bisericilor care cantau in galeza.
Am incercat noaptea sa culeg de pe camp stropii cazuti
Dar doar de am mazgalit c marginile de la umbrele lunii.