RETIRED SEAS (poem) - Dorta Jagić - Croatia

Umirovljena mora

među zagrepčanima ima mnoštvo svjedoka
da su umirovljena mora
baš kao i umirovljeni ljudi.
em se osuše i smanje, em nađu najbolji položaj
za pomaganje bujanju života – blizu ljudi.
nitko ne zna tko je ta nevidljiva mora
ulio u naše spavaće sobe dupkom.
(dno tog mora je pod sobe
a strop površina.)
zbog rapidnog smanjenja, gustoće su meda
pa spavačeve uši više ne buši
pucketanje zastarjelih paketića očiju duhova.
ni roditelji više ne strahuju da će ih čuti djeca.
više se ni vrijedne slike ne ugibaju
pod farovima automobila;
to su sad samo tragačka svjetla loše postavljena.
ipak, najveći je blagoslov spavačima
što mogu na wc bosi
preko užarenog taloga pregorenih žarulja.
jedina je nevolja da se more ima li netko nesanicu
toliko ohladi da se ostali moraju prikopčati
na aparate za oživljavanje.
sve spavače nasmrt zavoli već sredinom drugog tjedna
pa se postavlja pitanje a što kad obitelj odseli?
ništa strašno. to ga ne zbunjuje.
kao i sav namještaj, smjesti se bilo gdje
u kamionu za selidbe,
samo što dalje od akvarija
jer teško podnosi svu tu vodurinu i ribe.

Retired Seas

amongst the people from Zagreb are numerous witnesses
claiming that retired seas
were just like retired people.
they dry up and shrink, and then find the best position
to help the swelling of life – near people.
nobody knows who filled up our bedrooms
with those invisible seas.
(the bottom of that sea is the floor
and the ceiling is the surface.)
because of their rapid shrinking, they are as thick as honey
so the ears of sleepers are no longer drilled
with the crackling of old-fashioned parcels containing ghosts’ eyes.
nor do parents fear that children will hear them.
even the expensive pictures twist no more
under car headlights;
now they are just inadequately positioned searchlights.
but the greatest blessing to sleepers was that
they could go barefoot to the toilet
across the scorching dregs of burnt light bubbles.
the only trouble is when somebody suffers from insomnia
the sea gets so cold that all the rest have to plug into
the life machines.
as early as the middle of the next week it falls in love with all sleepers
and the question arises how will it be when the family moves on?
nothing bad. that could not confuse it.
just like all furniture, it places itself anywhere
in the removal truck,
just to be as far as possible from the aquarium
because it can’t bear all that water and the fish.