Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Noa Shakargy

Love

Two river guards fall asleep at their separate posts,

white moon and black sky crammed between their heads

at dawn they return to ferry between the banks

migrating souls parted from families.

Two river guards sail one to another
human missives, bottled –
(the absent hand appears where expected),

they don’t look back

(the Other is a better seeing aid)

they step toward the water to whisk away the distance but

in vain, the river’s course is set.     
The posts are taken, one can’t choose,

the river guards sail, they can’t pass over.


אהבה

אהבה

שְׁנֵי שׁוֹמְרֵי הַנָּהָר נִרְדָּמִים מִמֶּרְחַק עֲמָדוֹת,
בַּלַּיְלָה נִדְחָקִים בֵּין רֹאשָׁם לְבָנָה וְשַׁחַק שָׁחֹר
כְּשֶׁמֵּאִיר הַשַּׁחַר הֵם שָׁבִים לְהַעֲבִיר בֵּין גָּדוֹת
נְשָׁמוֹת מְהַגְּרוֹת שֶׁנִּפְרְמוּ מִמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת.
שְׁנֵי שׁוֹמְרֵי הַנָּהָר מְשִׁיטִים אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ
מִכְתַּב אָדָם בְּבַקְבּוּק —
(הַיָּד הַנֶּעֱדֶרֶת מִתְגַּלָּה בַּמָּקוֹם הַמְּשֹׁעָר),
לֹא מַשְׁגִּיחִים לְאָחוֹר
(זוּלַת הוּא שְׂדֵה רְאִיָּה מוּטָב, תּוֹתָב)
הֵם צוֹעֲדִים אֶל הַמַּיִם לִגְרֹף מֶרְחָק אַךְ
לַשָּׁוְא, הַנָּהָר הֻכְתַּב.
הָעֲמָדוֹת תְּפוּסוֹת, לֹא נִתָּן לִבְחֹר
שׁוֹמְרֵי הַנָּהָר מְשִׁיטִים, לֹא יוּכְלוּ לַעֲבֹר
 
Close

Love

Two river guards fall asleep at their separate posts,

white moon and black sky crammed between their heads

at dawn they return to ferry between the banks

migrating souls parted from families.

Two river guards sail one to another
human missives, bottled –
(the absent hand appears where expected),

they don’t look back

(the Other is a better seeing aid)

they step toward the water to whisk away the distance but

in vain, the river’s course is set.     
The posts are taken, one can’t choose,

the river guards sail, they can’t pass over.


Love

Two river guards fall asleep at their separate posts,

white moon and black sky crammed between their heads

at dawn they return to ferry between the banks

migrating souls parted from families.

Two river guards sail one to another
human missives, bottled –
(the absent hand appears where expected),

they don’t look back

(the Other is a better seeing aid)

they step toward the water to whisk away the distance but

in vain, the river’s course is set.     
The posts are taken, one can’t choose,

the river guards sail, they can’t pass over.


Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère