Anna Swir, "The Soul and the Body on the Beach"

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

THE SOUL AND THE BODY ON THE BEACH

The soul on the beach
studies a textbook of philosophy.
The soul asks the body:
Who bound us together?
The body says:
Time to tan the knees.

The soul asks the body:
Is it true
that we do not really exist?
The body says:
I'm tanning my knees.

The soul asks the body:
Where will the dying begin,
in you or in me?
The body laughs,
It tanned its knees.


ANNA SWIR

Translated by Czeslaw Milosz and Leonard Nathan

Comments

[bennmorland.livejournal.com]

Whoa. This one's definitely a keeper.

[gardenwaltz.livejournal.com]

I love it and hope that my next comment will show my understanding of this poem, rather than sounding flippant:

This poem needs to be printed on beach towels.

Thank you,

Recently back from the beach poet.