the rook, the crow, the magpie,
like humans, one step and the next,
in order to walk lost in thought each could
become a talker; head
weighted down, learning almost reflective,
touch of iridescent light, each walks
measuring, meditates, shakes its head,
a foot, three traces and one more,
the other foot, on the roof, in the
snow, mind and eye, there,
feathers of air on earth.
Translation of “[el grajo, el cuervo, la urraca],” by Olvido García Valdés, from Y todos estábamos vivos (Barcelona: Tusquets Editores, 2006. Copyright Olvido García Valdés. By arrangement with the author. Translation copyright by Catherine Hammond. All rights reserved.
