Electric Verses

HELENA SINERVO (s. 1961) published her first collection of poems, Lukemattomiin (Untold), in 1994. Since that she has published six more. Sinervo has translated poems by Elizabeth Bishop and Yves Bonnefoy and written the lyrics for Liisa Lux’ debut song album (2002).

MEMORY BEARS THE CHILD


	Verses of Longing How would you know what fire is. A collision, a dislocated mouth. She sat in a car crying over her sister so long that her pelvis decayed. How would you know what decay is. The stuck moon is pointing to two. She sat on a train, crying over her sister so long that the rails rusted. How would you know what missing is. A leaning day, a disconnected phone call.

Before the fingers

The journey from teeth

A child is a house

Take the pole as it comes

The girl is so healthy that fever

this is my body

Rubs, licks, brushes

Before the fingers

If the wind cannot recall, can you

The chairs

The Duchess of Burgundy Departs...

Three Love Songs

Verses of Longing

Orienteering

The Sound of Ford Anglia

Measurements

From Pimeän parit, 1997.
Translated by Sarka Hantula.