Something doesn't happen as it should

CAT IN AN EMPTY APARTMENT by Wisława Szymborska
translated from the Polish by Stanisław Barańczak and Clare Cavanagh

Die—you can’t do that to a cat.
Since what can a cat do
in an empty apartment?
Climb the walls?
Rub up against the furniture?
Nothing seems different here
but nothing is the same.
Nothing’s been moved
but there’s more space.
And at nighttime no lamps are lit.

Footsteps on the staircase,
but they’re new ones.
The hand that puts fish on the saucer
has changed, too.

Something doesn’t start 
at its usual time.
Something doesn’t happen
as it should.
Someone was always, always here,
then suddenly disappeared
and stubbornly stays disappeared.

Every closet’s been examined.
Every shelf has been explored.
Excavations under the carpet turned up nothing.
A commandment was even broken:
papers scattered everywhere.
What remains to be done.
Just sleep and wait.

Just wait till he turns up,
just let him show his face.
Will he ever get a lesson
on what not to do to a cat.
Sidle toward him
as if unwilling
and ever so slow
on visibly offended paws,
and no leaps or squeals at least to start.

(In celebration of National Poetry Month, I am sharing a poem each day this month.)

A pain so utter

POEM by Emily Dickinson

There is a pain—so utter—
It swallows being up—
Then covers the abyss with trance—
So memory can step
Around—across—upon it—
As one within a swoon—
Goes safely—where an open eye—
Would drop him—bone by bone.

(In celebration of National Poetry Month, I am sharing a poem each day this month.)

Butterfly

Butterfly by Shashikant Nishant Sharma

O butterfly, butterfly
Teach us to fly
We want to reach the sky
Touch the milky moon
And play with stars
O butterfly, butterfly
Teach us how and why
You are so beautiful
We want to beautify
Ourselves like you
And attract attention of all
O butterfly, butterfly
Tell us the way
In which we may
Make ourselves colourful
And we may be playful
We want to be cheerful
O butterfly, butterfly
Tell us the secrets
Of your beauty
Unveil the mystery
How do you fly
We want to fly
Like you beautiful butterfly
O butterfly, butterfly 

(In celebration of National Poetry Month, I am sharing a poem each day this month.)

Traveling Through the Dark

(In celebration of National Poetry Month, I am sharing a poem each day this month.)

Sunflowers

Sunflowers by Martha Jordan

My eyes flipped through the list of names
And I saw your's, your picture surfacing in my memory

But my heart did not skip a beat
My cheeks did not brighten with blush
At a thought that I did not remember.

I did not close my eyes and see that room of comfort
Your hand was not on my shoulder
Your face was not mere centimeters from mine
Your existence did not overwhelm me.

I saw your name on that list of long night conversations
But I did not want to speak
I did not even want to look.

Have you been replaced? It is possible.
But are you replaceable? Impossible.
your name is 
always before my eyes
always on my lips
always in my mind

but never in my hand.
Never next to mine.
Never next to me.

No matter how many times I 
See your name 
or write it down
or sing it out loud
or scream it with pleasure
It will never be my name,
And I will never be yours.

Understanding will never be 
as comfortable as your bed,
but it will make seeing your name tolerable.

(In celebration of National Poetry Month, I am sharing a poem each day this month.)

Your Absence

Separation by W. S. Merwin

Your absence has gone through me 
Like thread through a needle.
Everything I do is stitched with its color. 

(In celebration of National Poetry Month, I am sharing a poem each day this month.)