Wailing

Jorge Muñoz

Tr: Denise DeVries

The freezing teeth of silence

frolic

with moderate fuss,

echos

congealing to infinity;

the basement bier

shines incandescent

as a crouching town;

fugitive

between umbra and penumbra

I pace the walls

curing fire-brick;

in vain

I've attempted

conversation

with certain cockroaches

the size of hermit crabs

--they never hear the ones who are alone--

outside,

beyond the door,

casual boarders

have frozen to death;

a strange voice

emits a wail

in a flash,

I am adrift...