Front and Back of the Garden

Translated to English by Rowena Hill

Behind the silence the garden

Are the trees catching fire?
No: the wind
is shaking fronds

The sparrow sings grey dove cries
the quiet jubilation of the birds
drips its colors in silence
in the distance it’s not the sea
the clamor of the city

The garden wakes below the clouds
Am I sailing adrift
world to world from this raft?
No: rather I’m a tree
I’ve always been here
My size is a secret
I blend with the house
I hold it among my branches
I’m invisible the sun nourishes me
imperceptibly I nourish the earth
I don’t know my true
face

Tree fine wood for molding
I don’t know if I’m the best carpenter for it

II.

Behind the silence garden
Trees catching fire?
The wind kindles fronds
Sing sparrow
Dove jubilation
Quiet cry
Bird color drips
In the distance it’s not the sea
clamor of the city
The garden wakes in silence
the cloud sleeps
Who is sailing adrift
mute from this raft?
(His name is I but he’s called You)

I know:
“I’m a tree I’ve always been here
I’m not really aware of my size”

It’s not a secret
it blends with the house
(In the distance the city’s clamor)
I hold it in my grey hair
(…it’s not the sea)
I’m invisible behind the silence another garden
The sun nourishes my jubilation
and the earth: I
My name? I don’t know it
Tree?
Face in the clamor?
Fine wood for molding?
Who are you? The reader? The carpenter?

Posted: April 22, 2012 at 4:56 pm