The Bicycleby Jerzy Harasymowicz

trans. From Polish by Edmund Ordon

onceforgotten by touristsa bicycle joineda herd of mountain goats

with its splendidly turnedsilver hornsit becametheir leader

with its bellit warned them of danger

with themit partookin rompson the snow coveredglade

the bicycle gazed from aboveon people walking;with the goats

it fought over a goat,with a bearded buck

it reared up at eaglesenragedon its back wheel

it was happythough it nevernibbled at grassor drankfrom a stream

until oncea poacher shot it

temptedby the silver trophyof its horns

and thenabove the Tatras was seenagainst the sparklingJanuary sky

the angel of death erectslowlyriding to heavenholding the bicycle’sdead horns.

http://gritinthegears.blogspot.com/2007/11/goats-and-bicycles.html blog poem response to the bicyclehttp://throughthegate09.blogspot.com/2011/11/poem-that-started-it-all_28.html comments on poet’s style and content…wonder, weird fantasy tales