twenty-eight
“To light oneself the fire”
-after the sea in fury-
And make it (flames/waves) with the trunks and timber the sea
has left on beach.
From the waves to the flames. From the sea to the fire. From the fire of the sea to the waves in flame.
Left in the sand by the waves, the branches remember them all, and gather all the sun. And render it all in flame –waves of light-
From ancient seas
lights and waves come back.
Fire on beach
from Quadern de port (1999)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
FOR THE WORD, THE FIRST GLANCE SPRINGS LIKENESSES
–AND KEEPS THEM IN WORDS INSIDE BOXES OF IMAGES–
in W.B. at Portbou
See the foam
through the words you said
engraved in the air.
In the heart of the stone
being water, fire and air.
*
Everywhere I look
the gaze crosses
your words.
As every word
comes dictated from your eyes.
*
Full gaze:
through the words that say it
see the object.
And in every object see
every uttered word.
from Quadern de port (1999)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
i
Open the writing
up to which wound
(the text’s, the soul’s?)
-of the text, of the soul-?
ii
To the root of the wound
(to the bread).
Shaked.
Never the silence,
in the core of the silence.
In the heart of the text,
in the body of the heart.
iii
Never the silence,
in the core of the silence.
The deepest root.
In the heart of the wound,
in the heart of the word.
from Quadern de bosc (1999)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
Sequence 17
Sleep.
Go back to your place only memory,
to the beautiful dream of the air.
Wake up.
Go back to the oblivion that shines in you,
in the wanting (missing) of a dream.
We are the memory of a fragile day,
background of a remembrance.
We are of a dreaming dream.
Remember,
and that the memory is to you the time to forget.
Forget,
and that oblivion dictates the path of remembrance to you.
Remember.
Forget.
Sleep.
from I si no neva? (aèria) (2002)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
1
where are you, here in front, given to the air,
given to the void, melted in the gaze?
so much light darkens the hour
and makes space eternal;
to be only.
suspended
abyssed question
– time stumbles in the eye still –
where are you, of being?
where are you, in front of you, given to the air,
given to the void, melted in the gaze?
from Stabat (2003)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
14
(in a tongue only ancient, maybe)
here
near the wall deserted of glance
–the only one–
with never a shadow nowhere
not anymore
but
be
in
from with inside
(just
be)
being
–the wall that not–.
from Stabat (2003)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
for also - 1
without as none without
—none nothing—
when already not even always
not even ever
when already no nothing
for
—without—
where
or when
or be
without
—always—
from (dying)
only
with
and all
for never
for never
—of—
always without
to never
desire’s fear
Hebraic gravestone from the jewish cemetery in Montjuïc, Girona.
n. 14.651 110x54 x 32 cm. Cantera & Millàs 185
s. XIV – XV
…his memory be for eternal lift, be in peace.
Very rubbed out inscription, hardly readable.
from des d’ara (2005)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
maybe only here
(where not even the shadow
or such a warm undergrowth)
maybe not only the shadow
not even that veils
the air
maybe
—maybe only the sea—
only maybe the sea
from only the stone
—maybe only here—
maybe only where
—from where
(without)
the stone—
and be
here
where from maybe only
—the sea
the stone—
(or
not even from)
where maybe only
where
or
the stone in the sea
(in the stone)
—maybe only here—
(where)
from des d’ara (2005)
translated from the catalan by Marta Mirabent
DIPTYCH TO ANTONI LLENA
1
only
―only from―
solely
―or maybe―
(almost
―less―)
nor
above all
but where
if
until without like
between never
―without now―
not either
only all
―between―
now
still now
in
―meanwhile―
(of)
self
(for in)
―and never for―
just so
―just so―
that’s all
(to one)
from only
only
―to self―
2
never if not, because to be is but to be at nothing; and so since from there in place, and now the alert elaborated, in pleasure, if where then to be until without when. nor another none nothing. or during; then but. maybe desire of no. untimely in now un-nowly nor only [some of them barely exist they shiver so much... ] or if in
[...] All the things / in the world tremble, some of them / barely exist they shiver so much... Andreu Vidal
from des d’ara (2005)
Translated from the catalan by. Mathew Tree