Venice masks

Saturday 23 May 2015

The City - Eeva-Liisa Manner

How the houses have grown in this city,
the chasms deepened, the water become blacker,
soon it will creep on to the streets, the balustrades are fragile,
the water table is rising, the basements are already full,
fear is rising, fear is hidden
in oppressive tact,
in open crimes.
Soon boats will be needed, do you hear the roar,
take the boats, hats are no help any more,
or, if you plunge in bravely,
take word to him, the Mover,
that the distress is very great.

Eeva-Liisa Manner (1921 - 1995) Finland
Translated by David McDuff and Hildi Hawkins
Source: Nordic Voices in Print

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