Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Monika Herceg

full circle

the analogy of body decay
and autumn decay
is total
the leaves humbly leave themselves to rot
we stick our fingers into the flesh
feeling for the pulse of summer
in the apples we’re storing in the basement
long after it they will abide the chill
stinging the tissue
and then like a planet
enter the eternal orbit around the winter
 
pickling peppers and cucumbers
preserves the sense of a full circle
the pickled sun essence
lightens the stomach
 
past the winter jars
sometimes snakes pass sluggish
their skins thick and green
grandma says they’re already tame
underneath the house
ever since the basement was built
they sleep as guards
hibernating like us
with solar flares
in their abdominal cavities

puni krug

puni krug

analogija propadanja tijela
i jesenskog propadanja
potpuna je
lišće se ponizno prepušta truljenju
uvlačimo prste u meso
opipavajući puls ljeta
jabukama koje skladištimo u podrum
još dugo poslije podnosit će studen
koja prodire u staničja
a onda poput planeta
ući u vječnu orbitu oko zime

treba kiseliti krastavce i paprike
da se očuva osjećaj punoga kruga
ukiseljena esencija sunca
osvjetljava želudac

kraj tegli zimnice
ponekad lijeno prolaze zmije
debele zelene kože
baka kaže da su već pitome
i da pod temeljima kuće
otkako su iskopali podrum
spavaju kao stražari
prezimljujući kao i mi
sa sunčevim bakljama
u trbušnim šupljinama
Close

full circle

the analogy of body decay
and autumn decay
is total
the leaves humbly leave themselves to rot
we stick our fingers into the flesh
feeling for the pulse of summer
in the apples we’re storing in the basement
long after it they will abide the chill
stinging the tissue
and then like a planet
enter the eternal orbit around the winter
 
pickling peppers and cucumbers
preserves the sense of a full circle
the pickled sun essence
lightens the stomach
 
past the winter jars
sometimes snakes pass sluggish
their skins thick and green
grandma says they’re already tame
underneath the house
ever since the basement was built
they sleep as guards
hibernating like us
with solar flares
in their abdominal cavities

full circle

the analogy of body decay
and autumn decay
is total
the leaves humbly leave themselves to rot
we stick our fingers into the flesh
feeling for the pulse of summer
in the apples we’re storing in the basement
long after it they will abide the chill
stinging the tissue
and then like a planet
enter the eternal orbit around the winter
 
pickling peppers and cucumbers
preserves the sense of a full circle
the pickled sun essence
lightens the stomach
 
past the winter jars
sometimes snakes pass sluggish
their skins thick and green
grandma says they’re already tame
underneath the house
ever since the basement was built
they sleep as guards
hibernating like us
with solar flares
in their abdominal cavities
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère