1

I have lost something of great value,
Something more costly than ancient silk
Or chests of dubloons.
Perhaps it is in a galleon on the sea-bottom,
Perhaps his soul is locked in a box of jewels,
And my daughters and I will dive into the blue depths,
Scattering schools of striped fish,
To the once-black cannon,
To the bell bearing the ship’s name.
We will unlock the box and free his soul,
We will guide him to the distant surface,
Giving him some of our breath with kisses,
Each of us giving kisses on the long ascent.
When we break the surface of the sea,
Three beautiful goddesses, our curls
Flattened by the weight of water,
We have all three inhaled his soul,
And our blood carries him hourly
Through our hearts.

2

I am at the castle gate,
The castle of many-colored towers,
And below in the estuary
Awaits the fleet with furled sails,
I am at the gate, my key dropped
In a forest in haste,
No one hears my cries
And I have snapped the bell cord.
Sentries patrol the high ramparts
But their gaze sweeps the shoreline and the parapets.
The stableboys and horses sleep,
A torch burns here and there.
I, the Queen, weep at the iron gate.
By his cowled cloak and flowing beard,
By his kind eyes and gentle gait,
It must be the hermit from his forest chapel,
And in his hand is a stone jar full of honey
Fragrant with clover,
And in his pocket a key so big
It takes four hands to turn it.

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October 20th, 2006