A Night in Hospital - Akberen Yelgezek

Against my window, bat-wings lash.

Crows expectorate hacking caws.

The moon reddens, perched on the muzzle

of a dog that howls and bites the night wind.

 

Worn down by the weight of darkness,

the walls murmur hoarsely to one another.

Silence is the only thing that hums,

interfering with the song of stillness.

 

In a narrow street, hope’s light is snuffed

in the wail of a homeless drunk.

The leaves’ ears twitch, sensing

the distant breath of the devil.

 

In the dead-end alley – mutters of thieves.

On the street corner – whispers of tarts.

The insects sense the scent of danger

and hide beneath the maple bark.

 

The moon is eclipsed before dawn;

wild sounds erupt from my unconscious.

… Trapped in this night’s funeral-chant to the living,

I escape only through prayer.

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Akberen Yelgezek (20th century) Kazakhstan

Translated by Assiya Issemberdiyeva and The Poetry Translation Workshop

Source: Poetry Translation Centre