Burning City Of The Heart

for Susan

 

It’s the voice that puts

me to sleep,

something like a waltz,

the dancing to the end of love,

Leonard Cohen’s hoarse slow

tempo moving through the heart

like streets without names.

At night I stumble

into other people’s dreams.

I could simply leave

through the keyhole

but there is food

on the table,

a woman combing

her hair who looks

so much like

my first love.

 

— Vladimir Swirynsky

                              

Vladimir’s 20th book of poetry Poetry: The Tedious Mining Of The Words is due out in October from New Kiev Publication.