Poesia kaiera
Behin soilik
Behin soilik jakin nuen zertarako den bizitza.
Bostonen ulertu nuen, tupustean;
Charles ibaiaren alboan oinez,
argiak ikusi nituen elkarri imintzioka,
dena neoi, dena bihotz estroboskopiko, ahoak
opera kantariek bezain zabalik;
zenbatu nituen izarrak, ene zaldun ttipiak,
ene bitxilore zauriak, eta jakin nuen nire maitea
oinez nerabilela gauaren alde berdean,
eta oihu egin zien
nire bihotzak ekialderanzko autoei,
oihu nire bihotzak
mendebalderanzko autoei.
Nire egiari zubi konkordun ttipia
zeharkarazi nion,
eta presaka bultza, egia horren xarmari, etxerantz,
eta ezkutuan batu nituen goizean
taupada iraunkor hauek denak,
zertarako eta ikasteko,
ez zutela iraun.
[1969]
Just Once
Just once I knew what life was for. / In Boston, quite suddenly, I understood; / walked there along the Charles River, / watched the lights copying themselves, / all neoned and strobe-hearted, opening / their mouths as wide as opera singers; / counted the stars, my little campaigners, / my scar daisies, and knew that I walked my love / on the night green side of it and cried / my heart to the eastbound cars and cried / my heart to the westbound cars and took / my truth across a small humped bridge / and hurried my truth, the charm of it, home / and hoarded these constants into morning / only to find them gone.