Zbiegnew Herbert

(excerpted from Mr. Cogito:)

Mr. Cogito's Alienations

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

Remembering my Father

His face severe in clouds above the waters of childhood
so rarely did he hold my warm head in his hands
given to belief not forgiving faults
because he cleared out woods and straightened paths
he carried the lantern high when we entered the night

I thought I would sit at his right hand
and we would separate light from darkness
and judge those of us who live

—it happened otherwise

a junk-dealer carried his throne on a hand-cart
and the deed of ownership the map of our kingdom

he was born for a second time slight very fragile
with transparent skin hardly perceptible cartilage
he diminished his body so I might receive it

in an unimportant place there is shadow under a stone

he himself grows in me we eat our defeats
we burst out laughing
when they say how little is needed
to be reconciled

The Envoy of Mr. Cogito

Go where those others went to the dark boundary
for the golden fleece of nothingness your last prize

go upright among those who are on their knees
among those with their backs turned and those toppled in the dust

you were saved not in order to live
you have little time you must give testimony

be courageous when the mind deceives you be courageous
in the final account only this is important

and let your helpless Anger be like the sea
whenever your hear the voice of the insulted and beaten

let you sister Scorn not leave you
for the informers executioners cowards - they will win
they will go to your funeral with relief will throw a lump of earth
the woodborer will write your smoothed-over biography

and do not forgive truly it is not in your power
to forgive in the name of those betrayed at dawn

beware however of unnecessary pride
keep looking at your clown's face in the mirror
repeat: I was called - weren't there better ones than I

beware of dryness of heart love the morning spring
the bird with an unknown name the winter oak
light on a wall the splendour of the sky
they don't need your warm breath
they are there to say: no one will console you

be vigilant - when the light on the mountains gives the sign- arise and go
as long as blood turns in the breast your dark star

repeat old incantations of humanity fables and legends
because this is how you will attain the good you will not attain
repeat great words repeat them stubbornly
like those crossing the desert who perished in the sand

and they will reward you with what they have at hand
with the whip of laughter with murder on a garbage heap

go because only in this way you will be admitted to the company of cold skulls
to the company of your ancestors: Gilgamesh Hector Roland
the defenders of the kingdom without limit and the city of ashes

Be faithful Go


(excerpted from Barbarian in the Garden:)

The sun gave him a stone
capable of speech and truth
so people called it a creature of the mountains

It was hard strong black and thick

its sides were marked with streaks which resembled wrinkles

So he washed the wise stone in the living spring
clothed it in pure linen
fed it like small child
made offerings as to a god

With powerful hymns he kindled life

Then he lit a lamp in his clean house
swayed it in his arms
as a mother embracing a son

You who want to hear a god's voice
do the same
ask him about your future
for he will speak the truth

(trans.1985)


....This man's poetry nourishes my soul.