Luybov Yakymchuk - Translated by Volodymyr Bilyk

1
12 – 6 – 9 – 3
 
             XII
 
     IX              ІІІ
 
              VI
 
12 – 6 – 9 – 3
the clock crosses oneself
and tells no time no more

***
2
-О–О-
 
Its not F, but E
Its not V, but Y
its not C, but O
all flows
like the hot water flows in the cold water
like the fresh water flows in the salt water
and when I
put on two O
to wit -O-O
viz. -O-O-glasses
i see 
your cheeks
- these flapping wings of gowk
with tawny little dots on 'em
- freckles
of the yellowhammer
corn bunting
wishin' to be in the air

-О–О-

your freckles
of the yellowhammer
corn bunting
tweak my nose
-О–О-
 
and when i get my glasses off
hot water in the cold
fresh in the salt
and your face (with the dashes)
smiles a bit

***
I YI I
 
look in these eyes
eyelids and eyelids
tangled fluff in R-
-ound pupils
nut-colored-
same as 
the water in the lake

lake turned into L and ache
- nit
and the fluff of the poplars
like feather of angels
water turns into the fluff
for those who got no ground to stand on

dont look in these eyes
dont look at these iyi 'n iyi
dont look at these stout stumps
dont look at these matches
they're wet
under wet dots


4
Flat belly of the stadium
round belly of the coach
she tries to raise her hands in order to fly up
but she's too heavy 
and so - unchanging green for blue -
she cries: All Shook Up!
and kids-who-look-like-cukes
are slicing into rings in count one-two

she messes with'em and flavours them with minor twits and goofy quirks
like . . . (well, i think it's better to conceal 'em - too expressive. . .)

and me, i'm sitting on the tribune 
and watching how the kids are overtaking field of green 
and kicking 'round the coaches ball of blue