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 Rahira-Tinte

Carol Rumens

Si daca ar fi

Daca ar fi doar pentru tine
numai tu, tot timpul, pana la capat,
si nimic n-a mai ramas din schimbul nostru sclipitor
de minte luminată si sange dulceag; daca
a fost sa fie doar pentru un flirt sau o vapaie, ce noroc
cand a mers, cand noi am venit, iar eu am simtit
mirosul sudorii tale, sudoare umana,
si lumina ta, am vazut penajul si parul tau
stralucind ca o masca incasa, dar
nu mai mult ca un chibrit, stins si aruncat, ce nu aprinde
pe nimeni decat pe mine, oricand dar nu acum,
ma veti ierta, cuvinte?
 

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

Ne-am dus pana la stramtoare;
Si ne-am oprit pe-un tarm murdar de Atlantic
Si ne-am racorit acolo in groapa de noroi a iernii.
Ne-am catarat pe-un nor si ne-am pierdut capul.
Am fotografiat curcubeul: s-a voalat.
Am plantat o padure de marar.
Am ascultat glasurile din strana cantand in galeza.
Noaptea pe camp am incercat sa adun rufele cazute
Dar am incropit numai marginile umbrelor de luna.