Amidst Vanished Words

Amidst vanished words
the world leaves
in a chaos of meaning

The door is empty
      and the petals grey

Feet of fine marble house the only path

As the moon visits the night
      its vastness infinite
the eyes alone sustain the link

I dwell between two shadows whose name I seek

I dwell between two shadows whose name I seek

I would like to speak to them as do butterflies
  fathom the song of feathers that lean on the wind

    draw closer to the celebration
       become ribbon-edging

                bend over the deep neckline of light

No riverbanks remain

A lone bench            massive
to welcome those who will come
And newspapers            in foreign tongues

The curve is dangerous
the earth weighty
The river regains its course

Do your hear the suns lost in the woods?

Where is the one who walked beside the wind?

No birds remain            and the rocks are deaf

Have you bitten the clouds already?

Will you know how to cross the threshold
between the end of evening and the onset of night?

Will you rest your shoulder on the folding screens of chiaroscuro?

No needles remain on the compass            and snow knows

How will your hand split fire from smoke?

What bouquet will you make with your nightmares?

Will you try to pen in the wolves?

No riverbanks remain
      and the horses are amok

(Translated from the French by Karthika Nair.)