“exactly the forehead, exactly the mouth, exactly the hands”

By Krystyna Milobedzka

Translated from Polish by Alissa Valles

September 7, 2005

Poland

exactly the forehead, exactly the mouth, exactly the hands
with that same dirty stain near the fingernail

with little braids
in an old-fashioned dress
with a dahlia at the cheek, a strawberry at the lips
in that blue grey band in the hair

(and: will the ash blossom?)

exactly the forehead, exactly the mouth, exactly the hands
with that same dirty stain near the fingernail

with little braids
in an old-fashioned dress
with a dahlia at the cheek, a strawberry at the lips
in that blue grey band in the hair

(and: will the ash blossom?)

Krystyna Milobedzka (1932) is a poet and author of…

Alissa Valles is a poet and translator from Russian…