“…and each of your kisses lasted a day
and the time between two kisses
lasted a night.”
“…y cada beso tuyo
era un día;
y el tiempo que mediaba entre dos besos
una noche.”
from “Historia de mi muerte” / “Story of My Death”
by Leopoldo Lugones, trans. D. Bonta
What to pawn for a sweet,
a leftover gem, paper slipped
into folded circles of bread
as you move from one
darkness to the next?
*
What to feed to the dog
that guards the gates, the one
who angles hot, greedy breath;
ready paws prepared to seize
your face in its fangs?
*
What to feel in the interval
of flame after the phoenix
dissolves in a shroud of ash,
before feathers return
to adorn its breast?
[LAG-other-response url=”https://www.vianegativa.us/2015/06/historia-de-mi-muerte-story-of-my-death-by-leopoldo-lugones/” title=”Via Negativa: Historia de mi muerte…”]