I love little clouds
the chubby children of heaven and earth
I remember them each time I put on
my sunglasses
because the heat
brings back memories of the warrior
in a dusty leather suit
the search for energy and gas
is just an attempt to replace oblivion
with a pointless drive
yes, I knew many born at gas stations
who lit cigarettes against the tired rolled-up hose
and got nothing but flashes of unsold visions
time works for the crazed
yuppies and ex-flower children
they need to take a shower in
cement blocks
very gently
the sun can’t stand stale irises
black sun in a purple robe
on the threshold of a new home
this is the beginning
Let the Sirens Wipe the Tracks Clean
Let the Sirens Wipe the Tracks Clean
Zvonko Karanović
NEK SIRENE IZBRIŠU TRAGOVE
Volim malene oblake
debeljuškastu decu zemlje i neba
setim ih se svaki put kad stavljam
naočare za sunce
jer jara
pali uspomene na ratnika
u kožnom prašnjavom odelu
potraga za energijom i benzinom
samo je pokušaj da se zaborav
zameni besciljnom
vožnjom
da, poznavao sam mnoge
koji su se rodili na benzinskim pumpama
palili cigarete na umorno smotano crevo
i nisu dobili ništa osim bleskova
neprodatih vizija
vreme radi za izbezumljene
goniče bosih tabana
i decu cveća
treba ih poslati na tuširanje
betonskim pločama
veoma nežno
sunce ne trpi ustajale zenice
crno sunce u grimiznoj odori
na pragu novog doma
ovo je početak
Ana Božičević
NOTE: This poem first appeared in Serbian in the book Mama Melanholija (Mama Melancholia).