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Harrison, Tony: Flood

Portre of Harrison, Tony

Flood (English)

His home address was inked inside his cap
and on every piece of paper that he carried
even across the church porch of the snap
that showed him with mi mam just minutes married.

But if ah'm at 'ome (he meant found dead)
turn t' water off. Through his last years he nursed,
more than a fear of dying, a deep dread
of his last bath running over, or a burst.

Each night towards the end he'd pull the flush
then wash, then in pajamas, rain or snow,
go outside, kneel down in the yard, and push
the stopcock as far off as it would go.

For though hoping that he'd drop off in his sleep
he was most afraid, I think, of not being 'found'
there in their house, his ark, on firm Leeds ground
but somewhere that kept moving, cold dark, deep.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://www.goodreads.com

Árvíz (Hungarian)

Lakcímét sapkabélésébe véste,
s amit magánál hordott, mind a sok
papírra, sőt az esküvői képre
- anyámmal állnak rajt, friss házasok.

„Ha akkor otthon (értsd: halva) találnál,
zárd majd el a vizet!" Éveken át
az borzasztotta, jobban a halálnál,
hogy végül túlfolyik vele a kád.

Az utolsó időkben minden este
megmosdott, aztán pizsamát kapott
magára, s szélben-fagyban térdre esve
rángatta kinn az elzáró csapot.

Remélte, álmában éri a vég,
de félt talán: nem háza - bárka Leeds
szilárd földjén - lesz majd, hol meglelik,
hanem valami mozgó, mély, sötét...



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationR. Zs.

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