FAVORITE LONGEVITY POEMS

"Leaves"

The anniversary of rain-soaked leaves draws near.

The memories of my experiences

come from the future, not the past.

So I say: large ropes of rain will fall

through the humid air that enveloped us

during the evenings.

Heart, heart, mysterious planet,

souls, souls, air through which

your tender images approach, lightly fluttered

by my breath.

The anniversary of rain-soaked leaves draws near,

the anniversary of cobblestone rocks where

the horseshoe of the moon will strike, when I pass lifted in celebration

the anniversary of bicycles leaned against walls, the anniversary

of high school numbers worn on sleeves,

the anniversary of all the words that

hold desires, love

between the teeth of letters.

Heart, heart, mysterious planet

on which I would have liked to live and die.

"56 Years"

I will live 56 years, like the Colossus of Rhodes!

You will encircle a finger around me, marveling, you will

be frightened by my overturned brass, but rather I will

lose you, adolescence, fleeting fruit of autumn, at a feast

And a silence like after crying entices me with horns, or licks me, pounding with hammers, putting

a mask of salt on my face, fastening

a shield of mud to my arm

As if someone had called my name

at the descent of evening into waters

Only your smile still fits me

and I will leave

I have tarred the boats, waiting for

the stars to rise, one by one, from my forehead

And I have not managed to implant

a single shovel above this mound

Slower is any word of mine than the breaking of time

into nights and days.

"Adolescence"

You are my song of triumph.

Overnight when you appear

in the strands of rain,

I enter smiling

under your crystal domes,

amazed by your wealth

and I caress the reins of your horses

beaten with stones by Zamfir.

I will mount

on a white stallion

and I will hang the rains,

a ringing earring at my ear,

so you can hear me when I pass.

Look into my eyes

how blue they are!

I think of the Commune,

of its vaults as high as the gaze.

And when I pronounce its name of purple

and my lips blush,

like from a kiss,

then I know that morning has come

and I hurry to meet

the sun.

"Twilight"

I lay beside your voice

It was so good there, and your warm breasts

kept my temples.

I don't even remember what you sang

... Maybe the branches and the waters

that rocked your nights

Or maybe your childhood that died

somewhere under words.

I don't even remember what you sang.

I played with my palms in your curls

They were so stubborn

and you didn't even know me

I don't remember why you cried

Maybe just from the sadness of the song

Or maybe from love

and gentleness...

I don't remember why you cried

I lay beside your voice

and I loved you.

"Waiting"

Strident silences, rebellious frozen sidewalks,

remember their steps.

Your bitter smile, mold

Floats in memories, solitary.

Stealing refugees trickle

Into the ashes spilled by dusk,

Fluttering their ashes treasures

Coins fall from the tower hours

On the glassy roofs and go, go

I didn't know I was walking through dizzy matter

And that winter waves its gray

Strident silence; empty street.

I don't want you to come anymore.

The scaffolds collapse and fall

Haphazardly, with a dull snap of fir.

The remaining walls far away

Rummage their broken windows in me.

The lines unfold and flow

Into the ashes scattered in twilight

And the cold wind, the ordinary wind

Throws coins of air on the sidewalks.

The trees have lost you from their empty branches

Laughing leaf, on ditches, canals

The gaze torn from eyelids towards them

Like some soot floats, purple soot...

Strident silences, rebellious frozen sidewalks,

remember their steps...

"The Young Lioness, Love"

The young lioness, love

leapt at me.

It had been lying in wait for me

for a long time.

Its white fangs it sunk into me, today, right in front of me.

And suddenly around me, nature

formed a circle, enduring,

sometimes wider, sometimes closer,

like a gathering of waters.

And my gaze shot upwards,

a rainbow cut in two,

and my hearing encountered

just next to the larks.

I raised my hand to my eyebrow,

to my temple and to my chin,

but my hand no longer knows them.

And it slides into unconsciousness

over a shining desert,

over which passes quietly

a tawny lioness

with sly movements,

for a while longer,

and a while longer...