JANA PUTRLE SRDIC

On Which Tree do Hard Cocks Grow?

If someone tells me, I will

plant an orchard

and name it The world

in my eyes.

Morning cobwebs in the grass

will waggishly sparkle

and if the grass frosts,

it will only urge

the fruits to ripen. Women

in colored stockings could enter

and men with feathery touch.

Without windows, curiously

opening one floor above,

and without primroses, pretending

their yellow does not burn from the soles

up the thighs.

Only rails across the garden will

flash every noon for distance.

Translated by Bridgette Bates & the author

Jana Putrle Srdić (b.1975) has been studying Russian language and literature and Librarianship in Ljubljana. Her first book of poems Kutine (Quinces) was published in 2003 by Center for Slovenian literature. Her writings are regularly included in Slovene literary magazines as well as abroad, her poems were translated into eight languages and included in two anthologies. Besides translating poetry from English, Russian and Serbian (Robert Hass, Sergej Timofejev, Ana Ristivić), she also writes film reviews and leads literary readings and conversations.

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