“Mr. Cogito’s Alienations” by Zbigniew Herbert
translated by John and Bogdana Carpenter
Mr Cogito holds in his arms
the warm amphora of a head
the rest of the body is hidden
only touch sees it
he looks at the sleeping head
strange yet full of tenderness
once again
he notices with amazement
that someone exists outside of him
impenetrable
like a stone
with limits
which open
only for a moment
then the sea casts it up
on the rocky shore
with its own blood
strange sleep
armed with its own skin
Mr Cogito removes
the sleeping head
gently
not to leave
on the cheek
the imprints of fingers
and he goes away
alone
into the lime of the sheets