You are all thorns, you’re all fire
and keep me away from your perilous heart.
I cannot be enough for your joy
and seem to delight you but little, so little
hardly lifting that riotous shadow
you are all bitterness and wrath
you are in the clash and bewilderment
my racer, my heart’s record-breaker
my barbaric boy made of wind
my stream raging into
the quiet of my water
with waves and with cymbals and nuggets of gold.
Some old river we’ll be one fine day, you and I.
I water and you tide, I shore and you wind,
I rain and you lightning,
I fish and you silver swish
I moon reflected and you sky and sword
of Orion, you all of the love of mankind
that I’m trying I’m trying
to love you for good love you well
my womb glow of light.
Translated by Cristina Viti