The Butterfly of no return Poem by Maarja Kangro

‘again' is a big word.
slowly and quickly
again

again men rejoice on the radio
that they are on the right road
and talk of the cyclical nature of time

a proper road goes in circles, even I
recognize young skin on the beach and
"et si tu n'existais pas," sing the loudspeakers

men on the radio speak of the connection
of everything to everything else: ringingly
one says, 'the butterfly effect' - I lift my wings

cyclical time gives you a good sleep
for after such a sleep you think you're revived
and again

I flutter my wing
the good men on the radio start coughing
I flap my wings more amply and a wind comes up

the men cough wheezing, the airwaves revolt
ships sink and swimmers drown, the final sleep
comes stormy and grey

let's think of a word that never was before
it was just now
and now it isn't anymore

Translated by Ilmar Lehtpere