Still, his presence in me
remains unknown.
Soon, soon.
Dust accumulates
upon the book shelves
the window panes do not sparkle as before.
First
I must stretch my fallow limbs
to seek in folds of flesh
my lost dream.
In its wake looms a fear of pain
and the large golden cage
which I will enter afterwards
close the door.
Third Month
What I carry
the sky bears too.
In me are shadows of trees
and flower hues,
the smell of early and late tears
in the glutted, glum bed
the rain of winter
in my girlhood room
the sagacious sky sags.
The good Lord
plunked a fresh flower
in my bosom.
Fifth Month
What's in me ripens
knows no rest.
Nights it stirs
from side to side,
it drinks my bile and joy.
Sixth Month
He shifts inside me
locates my wells of sorrow
touching each
with his fragile finger
when I weep.
I know now
he has plumbed my depths.
Now he reads me
from his closed cell.
Yet, once outside he'll clamor:
Mom, where are you going?
Seventh Month
The way of all flesh
you swim through me
as though I am your river
you sail onto my dreams
a seafarer
that roams my secret islands
now you know me
from inside
plowing uncultivated lands.
Nothing is secret to you
you're already a child
breathing
somewhere in my womb.
Eight Month
My secret selves combine in him
his skin bears my joy
and my bitter grief
his hair is rooted
into my memories
my dreams
are in the pupils of his eyes.
He has all of me
I poured myself out to him
without knowing
Unexpectedly.
English translation by Seymour Simckes
Eight Month
This body isn't mine
Mine was thin
and small.
Soft folds behind the hip
thin feet,
such small soles
nine months away.
Nine Month
Through the shooting hole
in the castle
I peep.
Such a thick wall.
Within this body
I am a captive.
Labor
My mother
knows this pain so well
She wants to tear it
away from me.
I hear her footsteps
back and forth
she walks along the wall
in the next room.
Mama, don't go.
Labor
Breathing, breathing
another gulp of air
in a little while a sea
in a little while a hand
in a little while a child
Labor
They all see me
This black gulf
is wide open
a bridge
between earth and heaven
wings gaze over me
a bird inside me
flutters.
an old woman
crosses a road with a stick
a child wants to help her.
No one is helping me now.
An accordion with closed folds
is playing choked notes.
Labor
Please, sanctify this night for me
beyond the bitters of this world.
Three Fates in white crouch over me
one shoves my shoulder
"Push! push!"
I thrust my pain
my dreams emerge
connected by a thin thread,
Behold the cup of his shoulder now
There's a blinding light,
a global glow
green pasture and divine fragrance
a dark head emanates
he cries like the ram's horn
at the close of the "Yom Kippur" fast.
They place him in my hands
I do not recognize him
"Look at him, he's yours"
Three Fates in white put out their hands
to take him away,
our first farewell.
My palms are drenched in blood
Please, sanctify the blood
like holy Sabbath wine.
Delivery
Paper, scissors, rock
a child's play
long forgotten.
The umbilical's cut
my child is gouged from me
into a world sans merci.
Who will win the old game?
my original sin
or his boundless innocence.
Paper, scissors, rock
my placenta is severed now
like a garment
in need of patchwork.
I am sewn,
Is there or isn't there a God?
Birth
When did he gain a soul?
and I was so unaware.
A bolt of light
a tear of flesh
and I was so unaware.
At the time, I was walking the streets
like I did the day before yesterday,
Suddenly
he was transformed
from a blur of skin
fingernail and eyelash
into a quivering mass
of breath and dreams
and I was so unaware.
God's finger touches Adam
on the Sistine Chapel
and I was so unaware.
English Translation by Nava Semel
