The irreversible consequences of russification

Russian lessons started early,
as soon as you entered elementary school.
Zenith 5 pens were all the rage back then.
I ran to my mother to plead for one.
Afterwards I sat at my desk, indulging my penchant
for untwisting and twisting my Zenith 5.
So much that I knew its finest fiber by heart.
I could take it apart and put it back together, even under my desk.
Even with my eyes closed.
Once, through carelessness, I happened to shoot the spring,
which soared high into the air,
toward the newsletter with Dzerzhinsky on it, and it landed
in the middle of the classroom, as feebly as Gagarin,
for which I received a reprimand.
Time passed.
Even though I had a hard time with Russian.
And I even had to drop out of school.
To this day I can take a Zenith 5 apart
and put it back together with my eyes closed, rapt, like
a secret agent on a mission to kill the president.
I'm careful about the spring.

Krzysztof Jaworski

40 black books

Nyberg has started sticking his head into the plastic bag
I took him out of, and when did he get so old?
Farewell, Nyberg: working with you
was like sticking your head into a plastic bag,
you’ve inspired me, now go inspire yourself.

Speaking of which, we agreed we should live with each other,
but not that we should live together. Language
saved us from life; not all lovers
are so lucky. Each of us can now write
a forty-first black book
consisting of a thousand iterations of “and only.” Anyway,

a publisher is already writing that he’s curious how it will end.
It’ll end with a knock from the mailman,
who doesn’t have any letters for anyone
and, being this story’s only hero,
isn’t ashamed to say he doesn’t understand why.

Justyna Bargielska

Tanto amar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QjvBOcBQBQ&list=RD_QjvBOcBQBQ&start_radio=1 

Amo tanto e de tanto amar
Acho que ela é bonita
Tem um olho sempre a boiar
E outro que agita

Tem um olho que não está
Meus olhares evita
E outro olho a me arregalar
Sua pepita

A metade do seu olhar
Está chamando pra luta, aflita
E metade quer madrugar
Na bodeguita

Se seus olhos eu for cantar
Um seu olho me atura
E outro olho vai desmanchar
Toda a pintura

Ela pode rodopiar
E mudar de figura
A paloma do seu mirar
Virar miúra

É na soma do seu olhar
Que eu vou me conhecer inteiro
Se nasci pra enfrentar o mar
Ou faroleiro

Amo tanto e de tanto amar
Acho que ela acredita
Tem um olha a pestanejar
E outro me fita

Suas pernas vão me enroscar
Num balé esquisito
Seus dois olhos vão se encontrar
No infinito

Amo tanto e de tanto amar
Em Manágua temos um chico
Já pensamos em nos casar
Em Porto Rico

Amo tanto e de tanto amar
Em Manágua temos um chico
Já pensamos em nos casar
Em Porto Rico

Chico Buarque, Ney Matogrosso

Tentou

Tentou
Mas não tanto
Não tudo
Não além.
Sobraram conjunções:
Entretanto, contudo, porém.

Arzírio Cardoso

A adiada enchente

Velho, não.

Entardecido, talvez.
Antigo, sim.

Me tornei antigo
porque a vida,
tantas vezes, se demorou.
E eu a esperei
como um rio aguarda a cheia.

Mia Couto

Llegó con tres heridas

Llegó con tres heridas:
la del amor,
la de la muerte,
la de la vida.

Con tres heridas viene:
la de la vida,
la del amor,
la de la muerte.

Con tres heridas yo:
la de la vida,
la de la muerte,
la del amor.

Miguel Hernández