Ulla
by Madalina Florea
She came—in between conversations of various kinds—
an appearance
from behind the unknown mountain
which you, in your famous stubbornness, wanted to climb
on your own strength
You’re taking a breather
You notice the way up it’s steeper
than you thought
We’re taking a breather
We’re speaking about you and others
Stubborn like you, brave like you
The word is powerful these days
like in the beginning
we are whispering and yet the word
can be felt on the skin like the air we breathe
we say her name
and the impossible is present—
in less flesh and blood
than usual
Ulla has come
to encourage you for the last time
She proudly shows her short hair
“I’ve already prepared myself
for the challenge;
we’ll see each other up there soon,”
she says to you
and points with fresh blood around the fingernails
to a mountain top
still invisible to us.
Ulla
A venit—printer subiecte de tot felul—
o aparitie
de dincolo de muntele necunoscut
pe care tu, in celebra ta incapatanare, ai vrut sa-l uric
pe propria-ti putere
Ai luat o pauza ca sa respiri
vezi ca urcusul e mai abrupt
decat ti-ai imaginat
Am luat si noi o pauza sa respiram
vorbim despre tine si altii
incapatnati ca tine, curajosi ca tine
cuvantul e puternic zilele acestea
ca la inceputuri
vorbim in soapta si totusi cuvantul
se simte pe piele precum aerul pe care-l respiram
ii spunem numele
si imposibilul e present—
in mai putina carne si oase
decat de obicei
Ulla a venit
sa te incurajeze pentru ultima data
iti arata mandra parul ei scurt
“m-am pregatit déjà
pentru marea incercare
ne vedem acolo sus in curand”
iti spune
si arata cu sange proaspat in jurul unghiilor
catre un varf de munte
pentru noi inca invisibil.