translation: clarity
Poem by Leah Bishop
on listening to Muerdo’s “Claridad” with and without you
We missed the mutiny
when we left the lights off, out
of you slipped demons
to join the fight we didn’t
see as you puffed wind
into me, fueled a trumpet
cutting clarity between
your comings and goings. so much
dolor que me tragiste tu
drowned in oil as you pumped
fuel into me, puffed wind into me,
trumpeted clarity into the
smog: sopla and jazz me, blow
and stab me. we mistook the mutiny
when we left
the music on and the headlights off, out
on the road as you came
and went. tantas cosas you
puffed into me. you blew
wind through me, fueled a trumpet
chiming clearly: si no enciendes
la luz but fuera you said and built
this blaze in me, ignited rebels
blaring in symphony. you came
and went so much, without
taking or leaving any fuel but such
clarity, clarity.
