Andrea Gibson: every time i ever said i want to die

A difficult life is not less
worth living than a gentle one.
Joy is simply easier to carry
than sorrow. And your heart
could lift a city from how long
you've spent holding what's been
nearly impossible to hold.

This world needs those
who know how to do that.
Those who could find a tunnel
that has no light at the end of it,
and hold it up like a telescope
to know the darkness
also contains truths that could
bring the light to its knees.

Grief astronomer, adjust the lens,
look close, tell us what you see.

Drashko Sikimich: Fear of Life

When a man dies once
over something

then dies again

over something else

then dies once again

because something - again - killed him

he then stops counting his deaths

stops going to his funerals

stops mourning himself

does not wait for expressions of sympathy

does not observe ritual days

but lives

fully used to death

of life no longer afraid

Kipke Tamás: (átváltoztatás)

végy egy darab kenyeret
végy néhány tiszta
végsőkig egyszerű szót
(kéz szó kenyér)
és várj
míg megtörténik
míg megtörténhetik
várj
remegő gyomorral
rendíthetetlen türelemmel

máris elfáradtál?
hát nem tudsz hinni a csodában?

Ted Kooser: Splitting an Order

I like to watch an old man cutting a sandwich in half,
maybe an ordinary cold roast beef on whole wheat bread,
no pickles or onion, keeping his shaky hands steady
by placing his forearms firm on the edge of the table
and using both hands, the left to hold the sandwich in place,
and the right to cut it surely, corner to corner,
observing his progress through glasses that moments before
he wiped with his napkin, and then to see him lift half
onto the extra plate that he asked the server to bring,
and then to wait, offering the plate to his wife
while she slowly unrolls her napkin and places her spoon,
her knife, and her fork in their proper places,
then smooths the starched white napkin over her knees
and meets his eyes and holds out both old hands to him.

Kurdi Imre: Előbb még

Előbb még úgyis összenő,
aminek össze kell nőni.
Hogy majd, ha újra szétszakad,
legyen min meglepődni.

Habár addig még sok lefoly-
hat vízből, miegyébből,
lesz, akinek még vér fakad
nemcsak az ujjbegyéből.

Másrészt talán pont úgy a jó,
ha körbe-körbe járhat.
A nincs, ha van, a van, ha nincs –
mindig lesz új ajánlat.

Tamási József: Tenger a könnyeinkből

itt tornyosulnak hazugságaink
betonból és acélból
földtől az égig
jobbra meg balra
ameddig a szem ellát
és azon túl

ezt alkottuk az évszázadok alatt
és ezt hagyjuk gyermekeinkre

és mi van a túloldalon

tenger a könnyeinkből

Alex Dawson: I don't do politics

Because the news upsets me. Because I'm trying
to "keep things positive!" Because it's bad for

my mental health. Because I don't have

time. Because I don't have energy.

Because I don't want to offend

you. Because it doesn't affect

me. Because I have enough

on my plate. Because I

can see them coming,

outside my window,

I can see them 

coming, but

they're not

coming

for

me.