The Country

Nora Nadjarian

It was the country which overflowed
into others after its borders stretched
like an elastic band and broke.

Rivers and streets, forests and mountains
ran into others; the country spread,
drifted, strayed.

When we reached the edge of the map,
having lost all sense of direction,
we wondered if we were now
in the north or south or east or west.

 

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blue

Nora Nadjarian

so much blue tonight
cold clotted ink
doesn’t flow
hurts the paper
rips it
makes me stop.

so many blue things
i wanted to say tonight
but can’t.

my voice has gone cold
shivering like a fish
in a sea of ice
blue ink.

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Two Figures in a Small Boat

Nora Nadjarian

From the window of this dream
I see two figures in a small boat
on their way to a continent
which does not yet exist.

He and She take it in turns
to row the boat with their arms,
eat raw fish, read moonlit maps,
crush stars into milk, swallow storms.

He and She sometimes kiss
and suck each other’s breath,
feel the waves inside their bodies,
make love and fall into deep sleep.

The small boat keeps moving
and the two figures both dream
of that life they have left behind
a window, waving, waving…