dangerous thing 

it is a thing that speaks 
eratic movements in the sky 
eyes and skin 
a complicated assembly of matter 
even writes poems 
a thing with a mind 
consisting of concealed frenzies 
and inclined to rule 
frenetically trying 
to rule itself 
can I trust my life to it?

1999-02-15

Grabbed

The man I confused with my father
made me do things
I thought of as girl experiments
only when he grabbed me
and talked all crazy
as though I had harmed him
and didn't let go
did I recognize
my enemy

2013-09-18

Mutter opfert sich

Die Mutter opferte ihr Leben auf.
Und Dank war nie.
Wie könnt ihr glauben, dass sie eure Schuld daran verzieh?

Die Mutter, wenn beleidigt, 
schwieg,
und stand mit allen hier im Krieg.

Worauf man alles für die Mutter tat,
worum sie einen ohne Worte bat.

Die Mutter liebte einen wirklich sehr,
und hasste einen dabei immer mehr.

		
		1995 / 2008

The old must be excused

Once there was a fat old fool
laughing at his tiny tool.
The tool was smarter yet than he,
the giant was too dumb to see,
too dumb to hear a little voice 
that called: don't tread on me,
I am alive, I have a brain,
it's wrong of you to cause me pain.

The fool heard not, kept treading on
or took delight in seeming deaf
and smiling broadly shouted,
- not even so much louder than the little voice -
a mock-misunderstanding jolly, gay old man,
he shouted: "Tread on you? - I will!"
And so he did - and laughed.

2008-05-04

Congratulations

Apparently friendly mysterious creature 
that thought I might in the meantime 
have become normal enough 
to attach importance to birthdays. 
And mine.

Disappointed there she realized that 
I hadn't become less unstable and 
nobody could treat me with enough 
circumspection except 
therapists.

I know she knows I mostly don't know 
what's real. I never realized but now 
seem to hear her saying the same things 
since years past and suddenly know
that I never liked it; 

but can't avoid accepting the chocolates 
nor seem to escape the casual embrace.

2011-10-19