Revolución (León Felipe)

Siempre habrá nieve altanera
que vista de monte de armiño
y agua humilde que trabaje
en la presa del molino.

Y siempre habrá un sol también
--un sol verdugo y amigo--
que trueque en llanto la nieve
y en nube el agua del río.

There will forever be high snow
to dress the mountain in ermine
and lowly water to work
in the miller's dam.

And there will ever be a sun as well--
a sun who is friend and hangman--
to trade snow for a flood of tears
and river's flowing water for cloud.

(tr. E. A. Costa July 2012/13)

El Cuarto Chino

On the rice paper

the flow of lowly water

ink mimicking mist.

There is no such room.

(EAC June 2013)

Why Do They Fight Leaves?

Why do they fight leaves?

They might ease slowly to soil

and be covered unknowing by snow

close in the circle of their mother.

Why do they fight the leaves?

(EAC June 2013)

Under The Boardwalk

Under the Boardwalk

The waves are short below,

very short

under the boardwalk.

The people are short below,

very short,

under the boardwalk.

Somewhere or other

there is air fairer than here

with fairer faces

unconcerned and uncornered

with songs sung

in some other mother tongue

with greedy tresses playing fair game

in the wind

The line is short,

very short

under the boardwalk

scrolling light and shadow

walking shore

aces over kings and queens

heart-sorrowing space

limbs lolling and rolling

along the promenade strolling

somewhere or other

air fairer than anywhere

under the boardwalk.

(copyright EAC 17 January 2013)

You Are Here

Since it may not be important
enough to bother you
about my resume,
and since a page cannot enlist
or sell or repeat or parrot
or ring a bell over a pot
like the Salvation Army
at Christmas

all one asks is that you find yourself
in this little rhyme
and that you not get lost
for any long or costly time
but learn your way out again, slaying
any Minotaur you may meet along the way
and not forgetting to hoist white sails
on the day of your return.

[copyright EAC 09]

The Fly (Adieu)

I killed a fly today with some regret.
It lies among the ashes yet,
a delicate wreckage,
as if crashed upon an alien planet.

[copyright EAC 09]

The Hylozoist

The Hylozoist

Does one atom of hydrogen give birth to another atom of hydrogen?

Do universes meet in cocktail lounges over shots of vodka and beer?

Does one thing lead to another until one of them asks, “My place or yours?”

Why aren’t there selfish nuclear reactors whose teleology is to go forth and multiply

until they cover the planet and dispense with humankind?

Are ants campaigning to be the next great apes, husbanding atomic aphids and milking them for electric power?

Is the moon in her barren milkiness protectress of earth from stinging meteors?

Is she Diana, chaste huntress of asteroids?

When worlds age do they retire to Mexico, learn a little Spanish,
and read the Aztec Gazette?

[copyright EAC]