Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nicolae Coande

The Art of the Lonesome Oriole

A woman smokes in America and I can sense her aroma entering
My home on the stealth down the untrodden paths of life with the almost ideal
Listlessness and stasis in the portrayals of life in the eclectic South
Where crime and love are the conversational topic over tea for the cool-
 
Tivated ones feeling threatened by Trump’s toupee or the hypocritical
Democracy of the founding fathers.  The art of the lonesome oriole-
Like bigshot René Char was so much into the Whitmanesque illusion of a peaceful
Death when lilacs last on the good old farm bloomed those are topics
 
That slip through the cracks of the thin rye slices gently buttered
With caviar and down the benevolent throats uttering the mot sacré,
“Per barrel”…—while the ongoing small wars turning people into fish-
Ing worms crucified on a well-geared angler’s hook
 
Keep me away from all the things a man should do as I a-ban-
Don my thoughts and dive in to rescue the soon-to-be drowning victim.
 

Arta singuraticului grangur

Arta singuraticului grangur

O femeie fumează-n America şi simt cum aroma ei îmi intră
În casă pe neştiutele cărări ale vieţii în nepăsarea aproape ideală
A stazei din tablourile înfăţişînd viaţa din Sudul atît de eclectic
Unde crimele şi dragostea sînt discutate la ceai de oameni cul-
 
Tivaţi preocupaţi de ameninţarea perucii lui Trump sau de ipocrita
Democraţie a părinţilor fondatori. Arta singuraticului grangur care
Atîta l-a preocupat pe Char iluzia whitmaniană a unei morţi calme
Pe cînd în curtea din faţa fermei bătrîne înflorea liliacul sînt subiecte
 
Care scapă cu bine printre feliile mici de pîine de secară întinse atent
Cu caviar atît de binevoitor cu gîtul prin care trece fluent le mot sacré
`Baril` – şi-n vremea asta micile războaie care fac din oameni nişte rîme
Răstignite-n cîrligul celui care pescuieşte pe-aici cu mîini atent echipate
 
M-au ţinut departe de tot ceea ce trebuie să facă un bărbat care îşi la-
Să gîndurile pe mal şi înoată spre cel care se va îneca peste cîteva clipe.
Close

The Art of the Lonesome Oriole

A woman smokes in America and I can sense her aroma entering
My home on the stealth down the untrodden paths of life with the almost ideal
Listlessness and stasis in the portrayals of life in the eclectic South
Where crime and love are the conversational topic over tea for the cool-
 
Tivated ones feeling threatened by Trump’s toupee or the hypocritical
Democracy of the founding fathers.  The art of the lonesome oriole-
Like bigshot René Char was so much into the Whitmanesque illusion of a peaceful
Death when lilacs last on the good old farm bloomed those are topics
 
That slip through the cracks of the thin rye slices gently buttered
With caviar and down the benevolent throats uttering the mot sacré,
“Per barrel”…—while the ongoing small wars turning people into fish-
Ing worms crucified on a well-geared angler’s hook
 
Keep me away from all the things a man should do as I a-ban-
Don my thoughts and dive in to rescue the soon-to-be drowning victim.
 

The Art of the Lonesome Oriole

A woman smokes in America and I can sense her aroma entering
My home on the stealth down the untrodden paths of life with the almost ideal
Listlessness and stasis in the portrayals of life in the eclectic South
Where crime and love are the conversational topic over tea for the cool-
 
Tivated ones feeling threatened by Trump’s toupee or the hypocritical
Democracy of the founding fathers.  The art of the lonesome oriole-
Like bigshot René Char was so much into the Whitmanesque illusion of a peaceful
Death when lilacs last on the good old farm bloomed those are topics
 
That slip through the cracks of the thin rye slices gently buttered
With caviar and down the benevolent throats uttering the mot sacré,
“Per barrel”…—while the ongoing small wars turning people into fish-
Ing worms crucified on a well-geared angler’s hook
 
Keep me away from all the things a man should do as I a-ban-
Don my thoughts and dive in to rescue the soon-to-be drowning victim.
 
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère