Sleepless Conversation (Incantation)

by Tatiana Daniliyants
     translated by Katherine E. Young

          Talk to me /Like lovers do
                                  — Annie Lennox

Talk to me
in the language of birds
in the language of sleep
in the language of forgetfulness
in the language of a forgotten tongue
in the language of a parchment from Carthage.
Talk to me
in the language of a cricket
in the indistinct darkness.
Be bread / wine / water for me
lentils / gunpowder / fire.
Be for me
the skin of the earth
the skin / blood / bone
of conversion
be the flesh of trans-
formation.
Talk to me.
Talk to me.
Be my
source of light.

from the cycle Four Hearts / Serdtsa Chetyrëkh: Serbia