Laurynas Katkus

1972 / Vilnius

And so I live

And so I live with cobwebs and ficuses,
dictionaries, comic strips, and a heart
which taps at the outskirts of night

I live with parcels and emails,
Prussia and Žvėrynas, moonshine and wine
When the air gets colder, the breathing slower

In dreams I talk with statues and poets
whom I like and whom I cannot stand
clearly pronouncing the consonants

I cut my nails, repair the shower,
confess and overlook in silence, drive the car
because nobody suggested I do so.

Outside in patches of melting snow
I observe a hare sitting in a copse
and let him into my consciousness

I jump I jump, strike something, I freeze -
How humid it is all around
How steamy above the earth

Covered with space, rarely seen,
listening to the ever-stronger beat of my heart

Translated by Kerry Shawn Keys
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