MAYDAY

To a Jar by Henryk Cierniak
(Translated from Polish by John Guzlowski)

Contributed By: ,

oh tiny jar
sealed up with rubber
and a fastener
just in case

it’s not true
that you carry
emptiness inside –
you contain room
for happiness and sorrows

and the pickled cucumbers are nice

oh you jar
the friend of long hours
at the fireplace
and summer revels

faithful friend
the transparent jar
made of glass
be always tight

DO SŁOJA

Słoju wierny
maleńki uszczelniony gumą
z zatrzaskiem na wypadek
wszelki
to nieprawda że nosisz
w sobie pustkę
chowasz miejsce
na radości i smutki
dobre są kiszone ogórki

Słoju przyjacielu długich wieczorów
przy kominku
i letnich hulanek
przyjacielu wierny
słoju przezroczysty
szklany
bądź zawsze szczelny

Return to table of contents for Issue 9 Summer 2015.

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