Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Simona Popescu

Little Do I Care That…

Sometimes I have all kinds of thoughts: how Koch wrote a poem
about writing “The Circus” and how he asked John Cage how old he was
and how “everything we do becomes a poem.”

Yesterday Dominique asked me what things
connect me, connect us, Romanian writers.
Somone is going to attack me for not keeping up
the Romanian tradition.
When I read Koch, I don’t really care he was American,
I don’t really care what connects him to American writers.
I don’t really care about the person who says:
“You asked me if I wanted to run, but I
              said no and walked on.”
I don’t really care if he’s Chinese or African or American
It’s more important why it moves me, even though
it doesn’t seem to say much.

Pound to Harriet Monroe:
“Are you for American poetry or for poetry?”

Are you for Romanian poetry or for poetry?
Tell me!

Puţin îmi pasă că…

Puţin îmi pasă că…

Cîteodată îmi vin în minte tot felul: cum a scris Koch un poem
despre cum a scris Circul şi cum l-a întrebat John Cage cîţi ani are
şi despre cum “tot ce făceam se transforma în poem”.

Ieri m-a întrebat Dominique care sînt lucrurile care
mă leagă, ne leagă pe noi, scriitorii români.
Peste o vreme unul mă va înjura că nu susţin
specificul naţional.
Eu cînd îl citesc pe Koch puţin îmi pasă că e scriitor american,
puţin îmi pasă ce-l leagă pe el de scriitorii americani.
Puţin îmi pasă cine zice:
“M-ai întrebat dacă vreau să alerg iar eu ţi-am
              spus că nu şi am mers mai departe”.
Puţin îmi pasă dacă e spusă de un chinez sau un african sau de un american
mai important e de ce mă emoţionează, deşi
nu pare să spună mare lucru.

Şi Pound către Harriet Monroe:
“Are you for American poetry or for poetry?“

Eşti pentru poezia românească sau pentru poetry?
Zi!
Close

Little Do I Care That…

Sometimes I have all kinds of thoughts: how Koch wrote a poem
about writing “The Circus” and how he asked John Cage how old he was
and how “everything we do becomes a poem.”

Yesterday Dominique asked me what things
connect me, connect us, Romanian writers.
Somone is going to attack me for not keeping up
the Romanian tradition.
When I read Koch, I don’t really care he was American,
I don’t really care what connects him to American writers.
I don’t really care about the person who says:
“You asked me if I wanted to run, but I
              said no and walked on.”
I don’t really care if he’s Chinese or African or American
It’s more important why it moves me, even though
it doesn’t seem to say much.

Pound to Harriet Monroe:
“Are you for American poetry or for poetry?”

Are you for Romanian poetry or for poetry?
Tell me!

Little Do I Care That…

Sometimes I have all kinds of thoughts: how Koch wrote a poem
about writing “The Circus” and how he asked John Cage how old he was
and how “everything we do becomes a poem.”

Yesterday Dominique asked me what things
connect me, connect us, Romanian writers.
Somone is going to attack me for not keeping up
the Romanian tradition.
When I read Koch, I don’t really care he was American,
I don’t really care what connects him to American writers.
I don’t really care about the person who says:
“You asked me if I wanted to run, but I
              said no and walked on.”
I don’t really care if he’s Chinese or African or American
It’s more important why it moves me, even though
it doesn’t seem to say much.

Pound to Harriet Monroe:
“Are you for American poetry or for poetry?”

Are you for Romanian poetry or for poetry?
Tell me!
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