Walled in, the living were dying
black flies laid eggs
in human flesh.
Day in and day out
the streets were paved
with swollen heads.
The father, Aaron
had a beard of mildew and moss
and a head of white light
which died out flickering
before he expired he ate out of a hand
with his wilting lips
and opening his turquoise eyes.
In the little room
bodies were swelling.
Sally sold apples
silver ones smelling of an orchard
in front of the gate
which was made of azure.
Between gibberish
and red spittle
between the scabies of the wall
and the corpse of the passerby
with a cruel eye
between the stone
and the howling of a madwoman
Sally stood in her red dress
and the colors were absorbing venoms
and the apple rotted in her swarthy
hands. A white worm crawled out
from the smell.
Apples were wilting apples were rotting
mother was dying.
No one brought apples to the ghetto any moreno one in the ghetto bought apples any more.
Day in and day out
bodies were falling down.
translated by
Regina Grol