This week in the PEN Poetry Series, PEN America features three poems by Vasko Popa, translated from the Serbo-Croatian by Charles Simic.

 

Stargazer’s Death

He had to die they say
Stars were closer to him
Even than people themselves
 
The ants ate him they say
He thought stars give birth to ants
And ants to stars
So he filled his house with ants
 
His flirts in heaven
Cost him his head they say
And that ridiculous rumor about a dagger
With human fingerprints
 
They say he found himself
Literally out of this world
And went to find a sunflower
Where every heart’s every star’s road meet
 
He just had to die they say
 
 
Orphan Absence
 

You didn’t have a real father
 The day you first saw the world within you
 Your mother was not at home
 It was an error you were born

Built like an empty gorge
 You smell of absence
 Alone you gave birth to yourself

You spin with your rags on fire
 Break your heads one after the other
 Jump in and out of your mouths
 To rejuvenate your old error

Bend down naked if you can
 To the last letter of the alphabet
 And follow where its tracks lead

I get the feeling little orphan
 That they lead
 Toward an unknown presence


The Starry Snail

You crawled after the rain
 The rain of stars

They made a house for you
 Out of their bones
 Where are you taking them on your towel

Time limps behind you
 To catch up with you to run you over
 Let’s see your horns snail

You crawl on a huge cheek
 That you’ll never get to see
 Straight into the plow of nothingness

Make a turn onto the life-line
 In the palm of my hand in a dream
 Before it’s too late

Leave me in bequest
 Your wonder-working silver towel

 

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