SALT AND DEATH

“Every separation is a link…”

Simone Weil

1. Every separation as an immortal link,

a cave forever spun around.

A spring of empty water

that cuts the eyes a-half.

Into the first death you walk

with chin up , bravely –

didn’t you promise to be a hero?

Into the second death you walk

with eyes slashed, like a doll,

and blackness pours upon the world.

It is hard to die from the third death:

you tread a world

of no land or sun.

Your body a fragile eye

of infinite sight.

2. At night the beach changes into a starry sky.

Yet, I never go there.

I haven’t paced in the sea a long time.

Salt and death speak about thirst.

There must be another sea within

if so loudly they obsess,

salt and death.

3. The salt reminds me of some ancient body...

You knew everything, you, with seaweed in the hair.

You slowly rubbed the salt into my skin,

while talking about the old

ascent of the ocean-bottoms.

There I grew, under the waters.

You made for me a different body of salt.

Now I pace upon the sands.

I avoid this melting water.

I cannot remember you now.

I cannot remember.

… The spirit of the sapphire was your guide.