High Seas (after the French of Jules Supervielle)

Down among the birds and moons
that haunt the depths of oceans
divined from above by the surface motion
of crazed laceworks of spume

down among the blind witnesses
of silent, underwater wakes
where a thousand faceless fishes
hide along the paths they take

the drowned seek the songs of long before
that soothed their childhood tears
holding up shells to their drowned ears
then letting them fall to the dark sea floor.


© Jonathan Wonham


This is my own translation of 'Haute Mer' by Jules Supervielle and is copyright.

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