All of these poems are untitled in the original; we have used the first lines to identify them. Also, we’ve not used Polish accents. _______ The poems and photo of Halina Poswiatowska are copyrighted to Malgorzata Porebska and Zbigniew Myga. All rights reserved.

Halina Poswiatowska Translated by Sarah £uczaj call me by name call me by name and I’ll come my soul call me by name don’t ask if my name is the name of a passing bird or a bush growing into the earth and dyeing the sky the colour of blood and don’t ask what my name is I don’t know myself I’m looking I’m looking for my name and I know that if I hear it I’ll come even from the depths of hell kneel in front of you and lay my exhausted head in your hands bird of my heart bird of my heart don’t be sad I’ll feed you with the seed of joy you’ll dazzle bird of my heart don’t cry I’ll feed you with the seed of tenderness you’ll soar bird of my heart with folded wings don’t thrash about I’ll feed you with the seed of death you’ll sleep the mines of metaphor are inexhaustible the mines of metaphor are inexhaustible out of sheer spite their open depths frighten the dark and I want life — level and I want life — low I don’t want deep I don’t want across or alongside I want it to be coiled around the jutting wall the texture of wild vine I want it to climb the windows doors its smell to overrun the house to circle with the earth with my heart stuck inside I want to be wet grass in your mouth in your hands I only want to be wet grass till I’m out of breath I just want to be stupid grass at your feet to grow by the roadside