THE LAST POEM

Man I don't know whether this
world that can demolish worlds
will crumble away in flames
you cannot even make an ant

and what's it really worth
knowing substantial doubt:
if it's fear that makes me doubt
I only hold my fear in doubt

and though madness prevails
I don't go berserk I just write
human life alone
has value there's no
                           thing I ask for

Translated by Vyt Bakaitis


THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  SAWMILL

Contact broke off we were deprived of air
black whirling sand spouted up between us
nearby the sawmill motors went on pumping
and sawdust came flying out the door

I could feel our body temperature climb
and the few words I did manage to speak
sounded oddly hollow to myself as though
boulders held down the lungs inside my chest

dangling his feet somewhere beside the reservoir
a man sat with a prayer caught inside his throat
a black pigeon circled overhead
the horses licking his body were nearly dead

a black mercedes rolled along the road
weighed down by the same interminable heat
and those who had one truth to live by
went groping to find a hasty alternative

trees snapped like cardboard in the wind
with memories of generations never to commence
we sat in class repeating a history
I'm not sure won't be there tomorrow to repeat

that day the tree fell just like history
worlds writhing like a snake just caught
now nature saw itself parched out of breath
through a blend of smoke fire and sawdust

I clenched a bloody thornbranch in my teeth
and the sharp thorns sank into my throat
the sawmill stopped its clattering din
and flapping away zipped off into the past

Translated by Vyt Bakaitis

Antanas A. Jonynas is a poet and translator. He studied Lithuanian philology at Vilnius University. In the period between 1976 and 1993, he worked as an editor in the Vaga publishing house; in 1993-1995, headed the Cultural Office at the TV station Baltic TV (Vilnius). Since 1995, Jonynas has been a freelance translator. His first texts were published in 1973. Since 1977, Jonynas has published numerous poetry books, poetry for children, satires and critical articles. A play for children Circus is Circus has been included on the repertoire of the Vilnius Puppet Theatre Lėlė since 1982. The works by Jonynas have been translated into English, German, French, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian, Polish, Slovenian, Estonian, Latvian, Georgian, and other languages. Jonynas translates books, mostly poetry, from Russian, Latvian and German (the authors include Rilke, Schwitters, Bobrowski, etc.). His best known work is the translation of Goethe's Faust (1999). In 1978, Jonynas was awarded the Gėlė Prize for the best poetry debut. The prize was followed by literary award for the best Young Author (1984) and the literary prize of the Writers' Union for the best book of the year. His poetry book Night Train was nominated for the Lithuanian State Prize in 1993. Other awards include the Jotvingiai Prize for the best poetry book of the year (the collection of love poems Waterfall under the Ice in 1997). Jonynas is a member of the Lithuanian Writers' Union and the Lithuanian PEN Centre. The poet lives in Vilnius.