I prayed for language To sing out loud this joy confusion And bliss Now I’m back here And words don’t make any sense Why of all things I chose language I have no idea

-
Monstrous babies
Bring me your demons
I’ll bathe them in lightCaress these grotesque monstrous babies
Till they run out of tears
And shriek no moreAnd then
We’ll let them go
Out in the wildAnd sit together
In the warm glow
Reveling in the sound of silence -
Nice
It’s nice to meet your old despair
–listen granny–to say
–what happened
you’ve grown handsome
not sniffling anymore
you’re no longer like a devil born bitter
wounds have healed
the rain cleansed you
One can get to love a shrew while she’s still alive***
This is my translation of Miło by Polish poet and priest Jan Twardowski
-
Mirages
Your body
Every atom in it
Overwhelmingly empty spaceNothingness stretches out
From one star to the next one
To myriad galaxiesThis peculiar universe
Has infinitely more nothing
Than somethingsAwash in emptiness
We’re grasping onto
Mirages of solid ground -
Sunshine
I don’t care
If you’re in the seventh circle of hell
Or digging deeperIf you’re hurting distressed
Dying or dead alreadySo what
The Sun
Has abandoned usHere in this dark cave
I will teach you
To make your own sunshine -
Mad lovers’ fountain
Don’t trust
A single word I’ve saidThe mountain stream has got me drunk
Words escape me into gibberCome
Follow the starling call and
Let’s get lost
Into the woodsMad lovers’ fountain
Will wait for you
To take a sip -
Abyss
How am I supposed
To take care of
My daily choresThere’s a
Bottomless abyssRight here in my
Living roomMy dear
You always wanted
To go to spaceWell
Space is nothing but a
Black bottomless voidNot just under your feet
But everywhere -
Precious crystals
A million
Shards of glass
Are falling on our headsA million
Sparkling moons
Look back at us in darkSuch precious crystals
You whispered
Combing the air in awe
I told youIt’s not always bad
When dreams go crumbling apart -
Lost pilgrims
Gentle breeze
Temple bell
Mighty earthquakeWe swallow a cloud
Of incense smoke
It brings tears to our eyesTour guide
Spewing out facts
In shrieking voiceOld man calling
His wife back home
Girls taking selfiesWe’re all
Lost pilgrimsIn search of
What’s already there -
Down the river
I met the most
Unexpected friendHere on the other
Side of the globeEvery night
I take a stroll
Down the riverEvery night
He’s sitting on
The same stoneStaring back right at me
Without a blinkWith so much
Deep understandingWhy yes
I know
He is a birdSo what
Out of all creatures
In this faraway landHe alone
Won’t turn away
When I look back at himNot sure which one of us
Is more mesmerized
With thisWhy yes
I’ll trade all treasuresOf this dreamy magical city
Temples historic sites nightlife
Commerce and artFor a short glimpse
Into such improbable
Unearthly bond -
Holy mountain
Teach me to
Stand strong and tallThrough typhoons cyclones
And collapse
Of common senseShow me how to
Hug the Earth and
Set up a sturdy base thereSo that I won’t topple
As I stretch out to the Heavens
Pushing way past my limitsRemind me
To always keep
My head up highTo raise above
Turbulent petty weatherTo keep raising like this
Till I become
One with the Sky