Brother Lazarus is sadder than Christ. Every day,
part of his body rots off and falls down through the well
"Nine Variations for the Organ" by Nichita Danilova
You listen to the razor-edged
fanfare of the eyeless platoon,
the last one to still worship
you, you don the camouflage,
you latch the black lace-work to
the sleeves of your ashen costume...
"[finally the instant is here]" by Paul Celan
And then, that dialogue with the moon keeps you awake...
"Youthing" by Nina Cassian
I was among the luminous spheres
but I was also a corpuscle fallen in love expanded vastlyas that hot loving
"Cosmic Burial" by Magda Carneci
I’ve amassed too much disgust inside
and can no longer save myself except by raving with a noose around my neck a blade biting my flesh
nothing’s better than this cigarette
"[entry for death]" by Marius Conkan
I didn't choose to handle the money.
I didn't choose to have to tail you
that evening when you left the squad room.
I didn't choose the velour suit
or the furry dice, our raggedy
excuses for a conversation.
"The Fifths: Scherzo for a Road Movie" by Andrei Molotiu
Outside there were sounds I knew
from growing up in circus tents:
the organ-grinder playing "The Blue Danube,"
Janek's ice cream truck, the springs
of trampolines, the cannon shot,
but what about the sounds I couldn't
know to listen for?
"Circus Song" by Oana Sanziana Marian
Swimming in the hangman’s eyes,
having faith in the spider,
being exorcists of sorrow repentance.
This is what we feel. What we touch. What we die.
Caressing nerves of the afternoon and moonlight together..
"Shadowing" by Ruxandra Cesereanu
Call yourself alive? I promise you
you’ll be deafened by dust falling on the furniture,
you’ll feel your eyebrows turning into two gashes,
and every memory you have - will begin
a Genesis.
"Temptation" by Nina Cassian
Little Arabella Miller
Drove a yellow Caterpillar.
And she drove it round and round,
Razed her village to the ground.
Arabella did her best,
Her machine did all the rest.
"The Ballad of Little Rabid Arabella" by Florin Bican
