Stuff

Here we came in hot July, with the treasures
of a whole life together shambled in boxes
to be unwrapped and set out in new places:
the ebon carving of Rama's wife, Sita,
each hair precisely cut, the puppets
from Prague, heavy art deco goblets,
a Sung fan discovered in South East Asia,
a cherry-wood flute player. You were

always eager to explore, and equally pleased
to investigate auction rooms or an Oxfam shop.
In a hardware store, you discovered elegance in
a simple tool for shaving slivers of cheese.
Even caches of paper clips and staplers
hold your presence, and the screws,
and Aruldite stored under the stairs

you often used to mend the backs of chairs.
Not to speak of the imac, in which your spirit
still continues: nets of thought intensely lived.
And most of all , in walnut drawers beneath
the table by our bed where once you kept
sleeping pills and indigestion tablets :
your hearing aid, your spectacles, your teeth.

Maruntisuri

Iata cum am sosit in luna lui cuptor, cu toate bogatiile
de-o viata impreuna tarate prin cutii
ce le despachetam si le tot mutam locul:
statueta de abanos a Sitei, sotia lui Rama,
fiecare suvita taiata cu precizie, papusile
din Praga, pocale masive in stil art deco,
un evantai Sung descoperit prin Asia de Sud Est,
un cantaret la flaut din lemn de cires. Tu erai

mereu nerabdator sa explorezi, si la fel de incantat
sa cercetezi sali de licitatie sau vreun magazin Oxfam.
Intr-o feronerie, ai descoperit eleganta intr-o
simpla unealta de ras branza.
Chiar cutii de agrafe si de capse
iti sustin prezenta, si suruburile,
si adezivul depozitat sub scara

cu care adeseori reparai spatarele scaunelor.
De computer nici nu mai vorbesc, in el
spiritul tau dainuie: retele de ganduri traite intens.
Si mai presus de toate, in sertarele de nuc de sub
masa de langa patul nostru unde odinioara iti tineai
somniferele si medicamentele de indigestie:
aparatul auditiv, ochelarii, proteza dentara.

Florentina Rahira Tinte
 

Stuff

Here we came in hot July, with the treasures
of a whole life together shambled in boxes
to be unwrapped and set out in new places:
the ebon carving of Rama's wife, Sita,
each hair precisely cut, the puppets
from Prague, heavy art deco goblets,
a Sung fan discovered in South East Asia,
a cherry-wood flute player. You were

always eager to explore, and equally pleased
to investigate auction rooms or an Oxfam shop.
In a hardware store, you discovered elegance in
a simple tool for shaving slivers of cheese.
Even caches of paper clips and staplers
hold your presence, and the screws,
and Aruldite stored under the stairs

you often used to mend the backs of chairs.
Not to speak of the imac, in which your spirit
still continues: nets of thought intensely lived.
And most of all , in walnut drawers beneath
the table by our bed where once you kept
sleeping pills and indigestion tablets :
your hearing aid, your spectacles, your teeth.

Lucruri

Am venit aici intr-un iulie fierbinte, cu averile
unei vieti intregi impreuna macelarite-n cutii
ca sa fie despachetate si puse in locuri noi:
sculptura in abanos a sotiei lui Rama, Sita,
cu fiecare fir de par taiat cu precizie, papusile
din Praga, cupele grele stil art deco,
un evantai Sung descoperit in Asia de Sud-Est,
un flautist din lemn de cires. Erai

mereu dornic sa descoperi si te bucurai la fel de mult
sa rascolesti prin salile de licitatii sau prin vreun magazin Oxfam.
La o feronerie ai descoperit elegantsa dintr-un
simplu instrument de taiat felii subtiri de branza.
Pana si proviziile de agrafe de hartie si capsatoare
iti pastreaza prezentsa, si suruburile
si adezivii depozitati sub scara

pe care-i foloseai ades sa repari spatarele scaunelor.
Ca sa nu mai vorbesc de huse, in care spiritul tau
a ramas inca: plase de ganduri traite intens.
Si mai presus de toate, in sertarele de nuc de sub
masa de langa patul nostru unde-ti pastrai
somniferele si tabletele pentru indigestie:
aparatul auditiv, ochelarii, placa dentara.

Gabriela Moldovan
 

Stuff

Here we came in hot July, with the treasures
of a whole life together shambled in boxes
to be unwrapped and set out in new places:
the ebon carving of Rama's wife, Sita,
each hair precisely cut, the puppets
from Prague, heavy art deco goblets,
a Sung fan discovered in South East Asia,
a cherry-wood flute player. You were

always eager to explore, and equally pleased
to investigate auction rooms or an Oxfam shop.
In a hardware store, you discovered elegance in
a simple tool for shaving slivers of cheese.
Even caches of paper clips and staplers
hold your presence, and the screws,
and Aruldite stored under the stairs

you often used to mend the backs of chairs.
Not to speak of the imac, in which your spirit
still continues: nets of thought intensely lived.
And most of all , in walnut drawers beneath
the table by our bed where once you kept
sleeping pills and indigestion tablets :
your hearing aid, your spectacles, your teeth.

Lucruri

Am sosit aici in luna lui cuptor, cu comorile
Unei intregi vieti impreuna tarate in cutii
Ce-asteptau sa fie despachetate si expuse in locuri noi:
Sculptura in abanos a sotiei lui Rama, Sita,
Cu fiecare fir de par meticulos cioplit, papusile
Din Praga, cupe grele art deco,
Un evantai Sung descoperit in Asia de sud est,
Un flautist din lemn de cires. Erai

Mereu dornic sa explorezi si la fel de multumit
Sa cercetezi salile de licitatie sau vreo pravalie din Oxfam.
Intr-o magazie, ai descoperit eleganta
Intr-o simpla unealta de razuit branza.
Chiar si cutiile pentru agrafe de birou si capsatoarele
Iti pastreaza prezenta, si suruburile
Si adezivul depozitat sub scara

Pe care-l foloseai adesea ca sa repari spetezele scaunelor.
Ca sa nu mai vorbim de computer, in care spiritul tau
inca dainuie: retele de cugetari intens traite.
Iar mai presus de toate, in sertarele de nuc de sub
Masuta de langa pat unde tineai odata
Somnifere si tablete contra indigestiei:
Aparatul auditiv, ochelarii, proteza.

Ileana Botescu-Sireteanu

Stuff

Here we came in hot July, with the treasures
of a whole life together shambled in boxes
to be unwrapped and set out in new places:
the ebon carving of Rama's wife, Sita,
each hair precisely cut, the puppets
from Prague, heavy art deco goblets,
a Sung fan discovered in South East Asia,
a cherry-wood flute player. You were

always eager to explore, and equally pleased
to investigate auction rooms or an Oxfam shop.
In a hardware store, you discovered elegance in
a simple tool for shaving slivers of cheese.
Even caches of paper clips and staplers
hold your presence, and the screws,
and Aruldite stored under the stairs

you often used to mend the backs of chairs.
Not to speak of the imac, in which your spirit
still continues: nets of thought intensely lived.
And most of all , in walnut drawers beneath
the table by our bed where once you kept
sleeping pills and indigestion tablets :
your hearing aid, your spectacles, your teeth.

Obiecte

Am sosit intr-o zi fierbinte de iulie aducand
Comorile unei vieti intregi adunate laolata in cutii
Pentru a fi despachetate si asezate in locuri noi:
Sculptura de abanos a Sitei, sotia lui Rama,
Cu parul perfect taiat, marionetele de la Praga,
Cupa decorative massive,
Un evantai Sung, descoperit in Asia de Sud-Est,
Un cantaret cu fluier, din lemn de cires. Intotdeauna

Ai fost dornic de a explora, si tot atat de incantat
A scotoci prin salile de licitatie, sau in magazinele din Ofam.
Intr-un stand cu obiecte de uz casnic, ai vazut eleganta
Intr-o simpla razatoare pentru branza.
Chiar si cutiile cu agrafe de birou si capsatoarele
Iti conserva prezenta, si surburile,
Si Aruldite pastrate sub scara,

Pe care le foloseai adesea sa repair spetezele scaunelor.
Ca sa nu mai vorbesc de……unde amintirea ta e vie:
sute de ganduri intens traite.
Dar mai cu seama in sertarele de nuc de sub masa
De langa patul nostrum, unde tineai canda
Somnifere si pastille de indigestie:
Aparatul auditiv, ochelarii, placa dentara.

Roxana Mindrican

Stuff

Here we came in hot July, with the treasures
of a whole life together shambled in boxes
to be unwrapped and set out in new places:
the ebon carving of Rama's wife, Sita,
each hair precisely cut, the puppets
from Prague, heavy art deco goblets,
a Sung fan discovered in South East Asia,
a cherry-wood flute player. You were

always eager to explore, and equally pleased
to investigate auction rooms or an Oxfam shop.
In a hardware store, you discovered elegance in
a simple tool for shaving slivers of cheese.
Even caches of paper clips and staplers
hold your presence, and the screws,
and Aruldite stored under the stairs

you often used to mend the backs of chairs.
Not to speak of the imac, in which your spirit
still continues: nets of thought intensely lived.
And most of all , in walnut drawers beneath
the table by our bed where once you kept
sleeping pills and indigestion tablets :
your hearing aid, your spectacles, your teeth.

Materie

Iata-ne in iulie cel fierbinte, cu ale noastre
comori de-o viata inghesuite in cutii
ce vor fi scoase si expuse in locuri noi:
Portretul Sitei, sotia lui Rama, sculptat in abanos,
Cu fiecare suvita taiata cu precizie, papusile
din Praga, pocaluri decorative grele,
un evantai Sung descoperit in Asia de Sud-Est,
un flaut din lemn de cires.

Mereu ai fost dornic sa explorezi, si, in acelasi timp,
multumit daca te aflai intr-o casa de licitatie sau
intr-un magazin Oxfam.
Intr-o pravalie de obiecte de uz casnic ai descoperit eleganta
unei unelte banale de taiat felii de branza.
Pana si depozitele de agrafe si capsatoare musteau de prezenta ta,
sau surubelnitele si adezivul inmagazinate sub scari si pe care ades

le-ai folosit sa repari spatarele scaunelor.
Ca sa nu mai zic de calculatorul iMac, in care spiritul tau
inca salasluieste: retele de ganduri intens traite.
Si, mai presus de toate, sertarele din lemn de nuc
de sub masa de langa pat, unde iti tineai somniferele
si pastilele pentru indigestie:
proteza auditiva, ochelarii, dintii tai.

George Cojocaru