And Having Killed Two Birds

AND HAVING KILLED TWO BIRDS

And having killed two birds with one stone
he attempted by a series of manipulative procedures
to perfect his exterminatory techniques
He succeeded shortly in swatting seven flies with one swipe of the Daily Express
His attention turned then to the possibilities of ants
His boot covered nearly half the hill's area
and six hundred bodies lay squashed in the mire
The survivors crawled quickly over his boot
up his trouser leg to his private parts

Before the first ant reached his navel
he fell over screaming at the pain of the stings
His head cracked open on a stone, brains and blood spilling out,
the red and the grey and the black merging
as two birds flew down, each to peck one eye

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Sheffield, 29th June 1971

Publications

1972 Wormwood Review (USA)
1980 THE RAINBOW AND OTHER POEMS (Heckmondwyke, Fighting Cock Press)
1990 La Carta de Oliver (Argentina)

*****
Y HABIENDO MATADO DOS PAJAROS

   Y habiendo matado dos pajaros una piedra
   el intento con una serie de procedimientos manipuladores
   perfeccionar sus tecnicas exterminadoras
   En sequida tuvo exito dando un subito golpe a siete moscas
                    con el Daily Express
   Su atencion se centro luego en las posibilidades con
                    hormigas
   Su bota cubria cerca de la mitad del terreno de la colina
   y seiscientos cuerpos yacian aplastados contra el lodo
   Las sobrevivientes gatearon rapidamente a su bota
   por sus pantalones hacia sus partes intimas

   Antes que la orimera hormiga arribase a su ombligo
   cayo gritando por el dolor de las picazones
   Su cabeza se partio en dos sobre una piedra, cerebro y
                    sangre volcandose hacia afuera,
   mientras dos pajaros bajaban volando, para picotear un ojo
                    cada uno.

GERALD ENGLAND

Traduccion: Matias Serra Bradford.


Publication

1990 La Carta de Oliver (Argentina)

Sex and Sleep

SEX AND SLEEP

I feel my mortality
like Alexander of Macedon
in sex and in sleep

Sex is the perpetuation of mortality
the only continuum possible
when parents die, and
children so soon grow old
And the use of sleep
is for the regainment
of energy lost in the battle of life

Gods are immortal
and need not sons
to perpetuate their line
Neither need they sleep
for they grow not weary
toiling not

© Gerald England

Composed: Glasgow, 3rd September 1967

Publications

1972 THE WINE THE WOMEN AND THE SONG (Pyle, Kenfig Press)
1991 La Carta de Oliver (Argentina)

******
SEXO Y SUENO

Yo siento mi mortalidad
como Alejandro de Macedonia
en el sexo y en el sueno

El sexo es la perpetuacion de la mortalidad
el unico continuum posible
cuando los padres mueren, y
los hijos crecen demasiado pronto
Y el uso del sueno
es para la recuperacion
de la energia perdida en la batalla de la vida

Los dioses son inmortales
y no necesitan hijos
para perpetuar su linaje
Tampoco necesitan dormir
ya que no se cansan
de no trabajar

© GERALD ENGLAND

translated by Santiago Espel.

Publication

1991 La Carta de Oliver (Argentina)