DE CUSUT by Paul Tanicui, TO SEW in English by A. Codrescu

DE CUSUT

casa lui andrei

by paul tanicui

 

mi-am cumparat de toti banii ace

de cusut inima de piept

privirea de fereastra

gandurile de cap

cuvintele de hartie

visele de noapte

tristetea intr-un degetar

ca un cantec de suflet

 

mi-am cumparat de toti banii ace

de cusut ce spun de ce scriu

limba romana de limba mea

casa de caramida

caramida de pamant

un munte de sare legat cu golul de plin

si plinul de sus

ca burta de buric.

 

mi-am mai cumparat si-o carte

cu paginile lipite

in acelasi timp

la aceeasi ora

de o duzina de ochi

de taina.

Sunt asa de mandru

c-as putea s-o cos si pe ea

de pielea mea.

 

TO SEW

andrei’s house

by paul tanicui

in english by andrei codrescu

 

i spent all my money on sewing

needles to sew my heart in my chest

my stare to my window

my thoughts in my head

my dreams to the night

my sadness in a thimble

like a soulful song

 

i spent all my money on sewing

needles to sew what I say to what I write

the romanian tongue to my own

my house to the brick

the brick to the earth

to join a hollow salt mountain to fulness

and the fullness with the above

like my belly to its bellybutton.

i also bought a book

with pages glued shut

at the same time

at the same moment

with a dozen eyes

of mystery.

I’m so proud I could

sew this to my skin too.