Siracusa and other new poems

Translated by Richard Dove

from Joachim Sartorius, Wohin mit den Augen. Gedichte, Cologne 2021

Waking in Ortigia (‘Aufwachen in Ortigia’)

Night washes the sea.
The water new by dawn.
On the retina light
paid for with white spume.

I brush salt from the table.
I kiss the lizard’s eyes.
I cut the bread.
The day’s now uncommonly bright.

Later the ocean
relieves you of the coins
and carves
a nymph’s name into each

for the long delight
...