REVERSE ECLIPSE : OPEN DOME

				(J.M. Schaeberle / L. Connor)



The sun in flames?
The surface of the Moon
burning?
Round vernicle
acidic 	tears
		spherical
		timeless

or even more? the sky
in flames
		glowing
with a light
		of inner faith
fiercely
ascending
		from the depths
piercing
		the helpless
		cupola
		of light
and blinding it?

architecture
eclipse
                stone and crackling
of burning paper
shriveling
		as if from shame

how can the eclipse
and faith
		be so alike?

how can they
		yield
to one another?

the texture 	 is heard
motion		 smelled
the light
	cool and serene

 
 
 
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Mercedes Roffé is one of Argentina’s leading poets. Widely published in Latin America and Spain, her poetry has also been published in translation in Italy, Quebec, Romania, England, and the United States.

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Margaret Carson translates fiction, poetry and drama from Latin America and Spain. Her translations include Mercedes Roffé’s Theory of Colors (Belladonna* #71) and the novel My Two Worlds by Sergio Chejfec (Open Letter Books, 2011).