Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Eli Eliahu

TOPPING THE FOOD CHAIN

You don’t need any special talent to be
at the top of the food chain. After all, you were born
at the right place and the right time. You don’t need camouflage
or a developed sense of smell. You can stay
comfortably in your apartment. No predator’s claws will
suddenly grasp your neck. Your life is insured,
your door is cast steel (and if you ask
they’ll install a panic button).

You can roam
tranquilly in your apartment’s expanses.
You are the ultimate masterpiece,
the perfection of all attempts, the world’s
show window.
God’s
dernier cri.

בראש שרשרת המזון

בראש שרשרת המזון

לֹא נִדְרָשׁ כִּשָּׁרוֹן מְיֻחָד כְּדֵי לַעֲמֹד
בְּרֹאשׁ שַׁרְשֶׁרֶת הַמָּזוֹן. הֲרֵי נוֹלַדְתָּ בַּמָּקוֹם
הַנָּכוֹן וּבַזְּמַן הַנָּכוֹן. אֵינְךָ זָקוּק לְצִבְעֵי הַסְוָאָה
אוֹ לְחוּשׁ רֵיחַ מְפֻתָּח. אַתָּה יָכוֹל לָשֶׁבֶת
בְּנַחַת בַּדירתך. שׁוּם צִפָּרְנֵי טֶרֶף לֹא יֹּאחֲזו
לְפֶתַע בְּעָרְפְּךָ. חַיֶּיךָ מְבֻטָּחִים,
דַּלְתְּךָ פְּלָדָה יְצוּקָה (אִם תְּבַקֵּשׁ
יַתְקִינוּ לְךָ לַחְצָן מְצוּקָה).

אַתָּה יָכוֹל לִנְדֹּד
בְּשַׁלְוָה ברחבי הדירה.
אַתָּה הֲלֹא פִּסְגַּת הַיְּצִירָה,
שְׁלֵמוּת הַנִּסְיוֹנוֹת כֻּלָּם, חַלּוֹן
הָרַאֲוָה שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם.
הַצְּעָקָה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה
שֶׁל אֱלֹהִים.


 
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TOPPING THE FOOD CHAIN

You don’t need any special talent to be
at the top of the food chain. After all, you were born
at the right place and the right time. You don’t need camouflage
or a developed sense of smell. You can stay
comfortably in your apartment. No predator’s claws will
suddenly grasp your neck. Your life is insured,
your door is cast steel (and if you ask
they’ll install a panic button).

You can roam
tranquilly in your apartment’s expanses.
You are the ultimate masterpiece,
the perfection of all attempts, the world’s
show window.
God’s
dernier cri.

TOPPING THE FOOD CHAIN

You don’t need any special talent to be
at the top of the food chain. After all, you were born
at the right place and the right time. You don’t need camouflage
or a developed sense of smell. You can stay
comfortably in your apartment. No predator’s claws will
suddenly grasp your neck. Your life is insured,
your door is cast steel (and if you ask
they’ll install a panic button).

You can roam
tranquilly in your apartment’s expanses.
You are the ultimate masterpiece,
the perfection of all attempts, the world’s
show window.
God’s
dernier cri.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère