Hanna Komar — Sharp

Poetry

Вострае

 

Узіраешся ў ласкавы яе твар,

як яна кранае доўгія свае валасы,

як яна ўсміхаецца і размаўляе –

кожная рыска жывая.

І ты цвёрда вырашыў, што кахаеш.

 

А ў яе пад адзеннем

ад ключыц да шчыкалатак

словы, напісаныя

вострым прадметам,

нашкрэбаныя наспех,

рэльефныя, для чытання

з заплюшчанымі вачыма.

 

“татачка” “люблю”

“балюча” “супакойся”

“кладзіся спаць” “люблю”

“калі ласка” “цябе болей”

“мама” “татачка”

“татачка” “не бі”

“калені” “сям’я”

“збегчы” “цішыня”

“пакінь” “кінь”

“татачка” “татачка”

“харошы” “люблю”

“ненавіджу” “ненавіджу”

“ненавіджу”  “ненавіджу”

“ненавіджу”

 

Надрапаныя іржавым

халодным прадметам.

 

І хоць ты цвёрда вырашыў

кахаць яе, шукаеш іншыя

гладкаскурыя целы,

пакідаеш на іх колеры  –

сіні, чырвоны, жоўты,

колеры, што мяняюць

адценне і з часам

блякнуць, саступаючы

месца новым.

 

– А ў цябе самога,

што там?

– Ды так, дробязі,

выцятае рабро.


Sharp

 

Peering into her gentle face

how she touches her long hair,

how she smiles and talks –

every line is bright, and you

committed to love her.

 

Under her clothes

from her key bone

down to the ankle

are words written

with a sharp object,

scrabbled in haste

embossed to read

with your eyes closed.

 

“dad” “love you”

“it hurts” “calm down”

“sleep” “love you”

“please” “love you more”

“mom” “dad”

“dad” “don’t”

“knees” “family”

“run away” “quiet”

“leave” “drop”

“dad” “dad”

“good” “love you”

“I hate you” “I hate you”

“I hate you”

Scratched with a rusty

object, with a cold

sharp object.

 

And although you

committed to love her,

you will be looking for

other smooth-skinned bodies

to paint, in colors

blue, red, and yellow,

colours that fade

and go away with time

to appear again,

like  pentimento.

 

– Listen, what is it

you have there?

– Nothing, simply

a sprained rib.


Hanna Komar, born in 1989, is a poet and translator from Belarus. Her poetry collection “Страх вышыні” (Fear of Heights, Minsk, 2016) was shortlisted for several literary awards in Belarus and received the Marzia Zakiryanova Award for the best work by a female writer by the Eurasian Creative Guild in 2017. Her bilingual collection “Recycled” (English and Belarusian) was brought out by Hertfordshire Press (London, 2018). Komar is also a translator of Charles Bukowski’s poetry and British and American women’s poetry into Belarusian. YouTube / Twitter

  • In the featured image: Hanna Komar.

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