just don't take your hand away from my hair
and do keep on stroking my trembling scalp
be still. be calm. do it. don't stop.
how the pattern on this floor disturbs me.
tell me something, anything, just talk to me.
here is a cluster of moments of panic
what I could visualise has now imploded
and is returning endlessly expanded into time
here is that record that's always jumping
you know and don't know the fucking song
you can't escape your own skin, the space in your head
and each beat of an eyelash is an abomination
and each sentence someone speaks a shock and a blow
and each word has gravity and weight
and drags me down, image do not strike me dead
just don't take your hand away from my hair
and do keep on stroking my trembling scalp
be still. be calm. do it. don't stop.

translated by Catherine Hales