Carnival

The world has turned upside down

Now the hands of Abel

Are desecrated by blood

Now the seed of the Roman

Is germinating in the womb of Mary

In this carnival of words

The kettle calls the pot black

In this carnival of words

Words bleed their content to death

Words bleed their sense to death

In emptiness and solitude they were left to their fate

Orphans of mouths to rekindle their former essence

They are now something else: some bitter and gloomy wine

And here am I, bewildered

Watching the doomed hands of Abel

And here am I, distressed

Watching Mary walk, sinful

Sheltered by Joseph, desolated and silent

And here I, my heart frozen by misfortune

No longer know

In the middle of this wicked carnival

Whether my words

Still continue being mine

© Mario Gallo

From the unpublished book POEMAS LARVARIOS

© Translated by Marta Bader - MG