Yánnis Varvéris
From: Invalid Miracle (1996)
Body in the Bath
entombed in bubbles, in water.
The head pokes out and marvels,
at the harmless waves. Dead calm.
Corpse-rehearsal in the safe present
and for the present
rehearsal of a non-future.
No flabbiness
The sponge's caresses
thank the body for being.
It emerges. Look, a timid knee.
It's come out to see. Now it's hiding again.
Yet which toe was it got on with the plug-chain
and the whole of yesterday is sucked into noise?
The body panics,
retreats to the bottom
struggles to don
its dirty water.
Finally it runs aground.
Afterwards, what is there for the clothes to contain?
As body it'll be washed up again on day.
Translated by Simon Darragh
Page(s) 143-144
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