Tag: Diane Sophrin

“When”

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WHEN – III

 

When did we get old she asked him
I know
when
my parents died
lined up one by one
they did at
the exit door and
then just left and
I moved up
the reception line
outstretched handshake and
me next
it was that simple.

I’d been spared
acquaintance till
then lucky
me unknowing me
grandmas grandpas
occasional uncles
far-flung cousins
dear ancients so
nearly immortal
they didn’t count as a
brush
with
death.

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 9.16.29

 

 

 

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“Fledglings”

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FLEDGLINGS

 

Look in vain for the humour
giggling irreverence
deep chuckling
swirling bouyancy
No
not even sharp dark wit
nor black cynicism of survival.
No
too serious this time
this wall we’re backing up against
turn around and see –
invisible yawning hole
gaping wider and wider before our eyes and
through the chasm
plunge to unknown depths
arms and legs flapping
like pathetic featherless fledglings.

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 8.31.19

 

 

 

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“Nero”

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NERO

 

Life as we know it is over
or haven’t you noticed?
O frog in the pot
heating
simmering sizzling
until – Grenouille!

Or else you’re trying
with might and main
to not
notice
since
pretence
is survival.

Or
on the other hand
if there’s still another hand
it’s – what else?
your money!
buying
blissful
coveted
insulation.

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 8.24.19

 

 

 

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“Triumph”

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TRIUMPH

 

Triumph
the words are coming now
Triumph
against all odds
wrestling with the Lies even
pressed into the face
into the mud
none is none

Evil
enough to make you gasp!
Evil
against all odds
fighting the Good Fight even
for the pure righteousness of it
shoulder to shoulder
One is One!

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 7.30.19

 

 

 

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“RATS IN WHITE HAMELIN-TOWN – II”

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RATS IN WHITE HAMELIN-TOWN – II

 

Cucumbers ripening
turbulent skies
and broken bones
picked by
loving
worrying
hands
thunder rumbling
overhead
bad King George couldn’t sleep
in his bed
licked by
heat
in flaming
hate
filling
money
grubbing
power
loving
lust
infesting
filthy
Rats
In White Hamelin-Town!

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 7.28.19

 

 

 

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“NO HOLIDAY” (Ünneptelenül)

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NO HOLIDAY – VII

 

Muteness facing
noise outpacing furious
stride keeping
up slowing
down holding
in breathing
out sweetly beating
them at their own
game one hand
tied behind
Yes
No holiday!

How needling
words scrawling
sprawling splaying
playing across this time
yellowing
stained sheets
how coaxing cajoling conjuring
confessing and then
birthing itself thus
this late stage
of the game
No holiday!

Thinking idly about
the smooth potato
this time nothing
beckoning reckoning no
absence or presence
silence being soft
and darkness not
unfriendly just
unfriended
mute
a new game
No holiday!

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 6.28.19

 

 

ÜNNEPTELENÜL – VII

 

Némaság néz szembe
a dühös lépteket lehagyó
zajjal felzárkózva
lelassulva lélegzet-
visszafojtva kienged
édesen győzik le
őket saját
játékukban fél kézzel
hátrakötve
Igen
Ünneptelenül!

Hogyan firkálják
össze napjainkat rézsút
terpeszkedve játszadozva
a tűként szurkáló szavak
sárgára festve
a foltos lapokat
milyen csábosan hízeleg elvarázsol
beismer és aztán
így lett játékból
ez a végjáték
Ünneptelenül!

Tétlenül
a sima krumpliról elmélkedve
most semmi sem
hívogat nem számít
sem jelenlét sem hiány
a csend puha
és a sötétség nem barátságtalan
csak baráttalan
néma
egy új játék
Ünneptelenül!

 

– Baranyi Tamás, translation.
  Budapest, 9.29.19

 

 

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“WILLING – III”

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WILLING – III


Willing.
To. Be.
In the moment.
throw out the past
Why not.

Just let go.
all those damned luggages –
Heaved.
Back and beyond and across
a cross a monkey sack of bones

O for one nanosecond
Fleeting
precious truth –
Gripping
what? why?
White knuckles.
So hard

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 12.25.18

 

 

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“WELCOME – II”

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WELCOME – II


This silence – palpable
have I said that already
This pause – suspended, swinging
toes clattering in mid-air
This formlessness – brutal
define it if you can
This whine – rounding out
to a white hot shriek
pin it down
This inversion – murmurs drained hollow, brittle
This breathlessness – frozen moment
of chaos
I can say – welcome.

 

Diane Sophrin.
Budapest, 12.15.18

 

 

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“SWIFTLY SWIFTLY – VI”

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SWIFTLY SWIFTLY – VI


Swiftly swiftly
no holding back
urgency declaims
puts claims
on your soul
puts hands on
your neck.

hand over fist
head first
feet first
anyway you like
open wide
open up
swallow.

ready set
to go
on your mark
these marks
make theirs
mark mine before
it’s too late

 

– Diane Sophrin.
  Vermont, 2.26.19

 

 

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