Back from a Walk

Back from a Walk

Assassinated by the sky,

between the shapes moving toward the serpent,

and the shapes seeking crystal,

I’ll let my hair grow.

With the tree of amputated limbs that doesn’t sing

and the boy with the face white as an egg.

With broken-headed small animals

and the tattered water of dry feet.

With all the weary deaf-mutes

and the butterfly drowned in the inkwell.

Tripping over my face every day.

Assassinated by the sky!

Federico García Lorca, “Vuelta de paseo”

Translation by Jack Hayes

© 2017

Image links to its source on Wiki Commons:

“Lucky Strike Date” (1921): Stuart Davis

Public domain