there were lots of them
but their fear was greater
some got flowers (I wouldn’t accept any
even if they themselves were overgrown with blooms
then I would) they raised children
hating the process
even more than the children
and so forth
I gave myself flowers, she says
because there’s nobody else
nobody could give her or anybody
in that she didn’t have anyone
well why are all my questions so hard
“You have to give yourself presents,”
croons Accident.*
“Time for yourself”—
Harlequin’s slogan,
deluging the town with cheap reading matter
love in soft covers
stupid as several donkeys
Translated by Daniel Weissbort
*Name of a rock band (author’s note).