voyage, oh voyage!

voyage, oh voyage!

the final fire that ravages the air

unveils the soil on which

we walk aimlessly

and tirelessly

 

the hypocrisy of the strong protects us

from home. I prefer leaves

yellowed by the rain to false

victories

 

so I listen to the wind. It's good to live

where there's dying, where the legends

go out... our tombs will be as

light as angels' wings

 

let's not bother to fear those

who insult our insubordination

the conquered will always have the

last word

 

I live in an invisible that has neither

bathroom nor entryway.

the invisible has no owner.

the dream never has walls,

and it's never cold there

 

... and my shadows stretch

over my body as it sleeps,

and the sky stops being blue, and

the light waits

Bibliographical info
Etel Adnan, "absence. displacement." from Time. Copyright © 2019 by Etel Adnan, English translation Copyright © by Sarah Riggs. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
 
Source: Time (Nightboat Books, 2019)
Start here: