The Tenants Of The Little Box
Throw into the little box
A stone
You'll take out a bird
Throw in your shadow
You'll take out the shirt of happiness
Throw in your father's root
You'll take out the axle of the universe
The little box works for you
Throw into the little box
A mouse
You'll take out a quaking hill
Throw in your head
You'll take out two
The little box works for you
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
The Prisoners Of The Little Box
Open little box
We kiss your bottom and cover
Keyhole and key
The whole world lies crumpted in you
It resembles everything
Except itself
Not even your clear-sky mother
Would recognize it anymore
The rust will eat your key
Our world and us there inside
And finally you too
We kiss your four sides
And four corners
And twenty-four nails
And anything else you have
[...] Read more
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
Before The Game
Shut one eye then the other
Peek into every corner of yourself
See that there are no nails no thieves
See that there are no cuckoo's eggs
Shut then the other eye
Squat and jump
Jump high high high
On top of yourself
Fall then with all your weight
Fall for days on end deep deep deep
To the bottom of your abyss
Who doesn't break into pieces
Who remains whole gets up whole
Plays
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
Give Me Back My Rags #4
Get out of my walled infinity
Of the star circle round my heart
Of my mouthful of sun
Get out of the comic sea of my blood
Of my flow of my ebb
Get out of my stranded silence
Get out I said get out
Get out of my living abyss
Of the bare father-tree within me
Get out how long must I cry get out
Get out of my bursting head
Get out just get out
Trans. by Anne Pennington
[...] Read more
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
The Admirers Of The Little Box
Sing little box
Don't let sleep overtake you
The world's awake within you
In your four-sided emptiness
We turn distance into nearness
Forgetfulness into memory
Don't let your nails come loose
For the very first time
We watch sights beyond this world
Through your keyhole
Turn your key in our mouths
Swallow words and numbers
Out of your song
Don't let your lid fly open
[...] Read more
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
Far Within Us #1
We raise our arms
The street climbs into the sky
We lower our eyes
The roofs go down into the earth
From every pain
We do not mention
Grows a chestnut tree
That stays mysterious behind us
From every hope
We cherish
Sprouts a star
That moves unreachable before us
Can you hear a bullet
Flying about our heads
Can you hear a bullet
Waiting to ambush our kiss
[...] Read more
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
Race
Some bite from the others
A leg an arm or whatever
Take it between their teeth
Run out as fast as they can
Cover it up with earth
The others scatter everywhere
Sniff look sniff look
Dig up the whole earth
If they are lucky and find an arm
Or leg or whatever
It's their turn to bite
The game continues at a lively pace
As long as there are arms
As long as there are legs
As long as there is anything
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
Far Within Us #7
Toothed eyes fly
Over still waters
Around us purple lips
Flutter from branches
Screams hit the blue
And fall onto pillows
Our homes hide
Behind narrow backs
Hands clutch at
Flimsy clouds
Our veins roll turbid
Bed and tables
Of shattered bones
Noon has fallen into our hands
[...] Read more
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
The Craftsmen Of The Little Box
Don't open the little box
Heaven's hat will fall out of her
Don't close her for any reason
She'll bite the trouser-leg of eternity
Don't drop her on the earth
The sun's eggs will break inside her
Don't throw her in the air
Earth's bones will break inside her
Don't hold her in your hands
The dough of the stars will go sour inside her
What are you doing for God's sake
Don't let her get out of your sight
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!
Last News About The Little Box
The little box which contains the world
Fell in love with herself
And conceived
Still another little box
The little box of the little box
Also fell in love with herself
And conceived
Still another little box
And so it went on forever
The world from the little box
Ought to be inside
The last offspring of the little box
But not one of the little boxes
Inside the little box in love with herself
Is the last one
[...] Read more
poem by Vasko Popa
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!