Sunday 25 October 2009

MY WIFE’S LOVER

My wife’s lover’s coughing
he looks me in the eye like a frothy-mouthed cat
he calmly claims his right to the meat on his plate
leaves his pants, pyjamas
and ring on my pillow
whispers words of love
pointing to the new building opposite,
he spits at me
is lost in my sleep or gets his fingers burnt
he makes for the sea                returns
holding a huge fish                  a fishbone
he cuts the moon into small pieces
silvery light falls as dust on my cock
he goes up to my wife
cuts off her thigh her hand her ulna
inviting me to chew them together
“what if you what if me it makes no difference
we have a common end
she will devour us”
a dormouse flashes by
my wife’s lover is mirrored:
his image resembles me
we have the same look full of suspicion and sorrow
I love you
he hands me my wife’s head nodding “yes”
her head and hair reek with blood
her eyes roll on the floor like beads.    
                                     
Translated from the Greek by Yannis Goumas

No comments:

Post a Comment