THE CIRCLE
EXTRACT
Translated into English by Donald Rayfield
CIRCLE
Come, look into my eyes, there are lakes in it,
Blackened bays with cozy days,
In the remoteness of the sea joining midnight
The fishermen in a boat gone into the Moon.
In the horizonless monster silver robes
Glitter the seas by the moonlight. With briny smell.
Breath of wind like a wish of peaceful sleep,
Before it closes the circle, before it is circled by a boomerang.
Come, look into these eyes, beyond windows, curtains,
When the starry side is alight,
There are abysses here that scare you
With nuns falling out of the castles.
There are forests reflected in the lakes,
Mountain birds hovering over the valleys,
Secret paths in the forests,
Look into it, you will hover over these forests too.
With a single look, with a second and flash
Let’s see the streets, cities on the shore and
Climb over the Temple walls
And help blind beggars to find the way.
For a while his hands will seem Godly,
But beware – there is no God in my eyes,
There is only his grave, olives
Cover it and we will lit the grave with a lantern.
On the temple dome, you will see dozing doves,
Fat priests will meet you with suspicious eyes,
Will blame you in thousand sins for a second
And you will come across the cripples at the threshold.
You will feel the abominable smell, but the scents and
the smell of offerings will reach you too.
The lighting of this colour you only have read about
In Fairy tales and dreams. Enter the room!
You will not understand whether it is noise or calm,
No word is heard. Only echo of some sounds is heard.
At midnight, this Temple is grand –
There Christ’s brothers and his murderers.
Land farmers, carpenters and fishermen
Strive to holy parts at the Eastern door,
Fumble their hands in the wall cleft
The old men, the ancient whores;
Standing there and mumbling shyly. If you look closer,
You will see slightly open prayer books.
Some time ago, even I slept with them – you will wonder,
They wonder too why you are here in this Temple.
The man and his son under the columns,
Look at you with spying eyes, but no one
Will dare to say a word, they always stand here, while at their home
The sails for fishermen’s boats are sewn.
Neighbours come to them and before dinner
They prey in gratitude, ending with – Amen!
Eye for eye, as written, tooth for tooth
Sitting and eating with their hands.
Here, looking at the seas and weathers –
Stands my house by the acacia woods,
Thousand years might pass so, that
I cannot open the door to my dwelling.
I don’t know whom I will meet there, if anyone
At all will be in that old house. Let’s get inside and see.
I find it hard to find the place, this way even in my dream,
All this time I’ve never been so close
It. Again shaded yard and garden,
As in the past and ivy climbing the walls,
Stone statue, fountain, garden-wall arch
Will bring me to tears – long time has passed.
Astonishment will flicker on your face, lips
Will open in a slight smile, and the garden shadows
Will rustle, house paths will appear
And I will tell you, thirsty – here’s an old well.
By the vineyard! Out of my depth’s ancient well
I will get water and pass to you, while the door
Will open creaking, the balcony bird
will get frightened and you will press against me.
My old father will step out,
He will recognize the sound of my steps, I recognized his too,
I found myself in the Prodigal Son story or
At home. It does not matter. My brother.
Thousand years older, following
My old father with a lantern in his hand.
It was in the past – denial or rebellion,
Now I’m standing and waiting for the judgment.
Our mother dies young, wife to this man,
Gave birth to both of us, followed the remote
of skies and I look like my mother and it is
The only thing that can help me at this sudden judgment hour.
He will touch my cheek with his beard, the father
will tell me: You have come, you returned! And a couple of more words.
We will enter and stay there for the night
At the house that will meet us with the warmth of dreams.
Look into my room, enter, see
What has never been seen by other’s eyes,
Let’s find the icon of the Savior in the attic,
As the wound, love and mercy.
My missing father will lay the table for us,
Will bless you, as a guest and you will laugh,
Then he will bless our children – the elder and the younger,
And you will fall asleep on my shoulder, exhausted of traveling.
And while you are asleep, I will tell you I love, I could not hide
Whatever was beating in my heart,
I will look into your eyes tomorrow, when the rooster crows
Thrice at the dawn and you will wake up.
TO DACHI
When you tremble and with your
One-week-old hands seek space —
I truly know God exists,
Who protects you, who rocks
Your bed of dreams and lives in
Your heart-beat, as through from the earth
You emitted the sounds of a soaring dove
Sweetly cooing, and the holy spirit
Moulds your face from past years.
You are as tender as my heart,
And for the first time I have understood
What this word child means, from the beginning
I carry the experience of a father in me.
Thus every sound or word
That was ever spoken on earth
From the beginning, and before that,
Will begin in you, as a separate part,
Life, breathing, will start an invisible
Conversation with you, and will direct
Movement from within outwards, from without inwards,
In the form of thought, or as a book,
By impressions, by dream, in the same way
By contemplating objects, because the world
Is full of words, and these words
Are you above all, you will ask words
For advice about themselves,
You will open up words, you will push words open,
Like a gate between death and life,
You will distinguish their respective value,
Form, content, outward and inward,
Every plant, how it wafts,
You will sense animals, the birds’ song
Will be for you a unity
Beyond words of existing spirit,
Someone or something that is utterly unlike,
This is like perception, breathing,
Which words have failed to express,
Just as at one glance
At your insignificant hands groping,
Your purposeless gaze seeking space,
Straight away I shall tell you, as for
This activity of yours, that I keep waiting.
It has immeasurable meaning,
Because I have realised what “son” means,
What “father” means, what existing
With you means, and then perceiving in you
Soul being given to your vessel,
When you tremble and with your one-
Week-old hands search for space,
I truly know God exists
And beats in your heart.
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