Two Poems By: Luna Miguel

In its first trip to Continental Europe, this week's new writing comes from Barcelona via two poems by Luna Miguel - from the unpublished book The Stomachs - translated into English by Kevin Cole

Luna Miguel (b. 1990) lives in Barcelona where she works as journalist. She is the author of five poetry collections.

She has also published the story Exhumación, written in conjunction with Antonio J. Rodríguez. www.lunamiguel.com

MY FATHER EATS LAMB

Teresa’s veggie cakes made you nervous

you needed something drier

something more like yourselves, like meat

that’s why you threw rocks at big mountain cats

that’s why you chucked rocks at big rats

that’s why you looked at the rain with surprise

as if you were rational underneath that cloud.

The dog barks at the eagle,

the cat bites the robin

further below the foals and mama

each one more famished.

I miss the micro climate,

the ancient copy of Thomas Mann

getting damp in the hammock

excellently translated according to the blurb

The butterfly fled and we were hungry

that’s why the color green scares you

that’s why you threw rocks at the fruit trees

and you love that which is yours because it’s only your own

and you love that silence which flesh has.


ROTTING OF THE HEART, OR BLACK HEART

I believe in mites,

in the way in which mites stick to our scum.

I believe in the feline respiratory system,

in its astute and agitated cough. In its obituary cough.

I believe in interspecies love,

in the brotherly wink of a fed pet.

I believe in what I create and what I invent,

in the color of contagious fruits.

I believe in cooking, in aroma, in baby food,

in the filth when the summer dairy’s expired.

I believe in calico fur,

in the metaphor of Buddha’s jaw.

I believe in simple friendships, in jasmine,

in origami.

I blindly believe in the color black,

in the way in which its hunger embraces our scum.

The Quietus Digest

Sign up for our free Friday email newsletter.

Support The Quietus

Our journalism is funded by our readers. Become a subscriber today to help champion our writing, plus enjoy bonus essays, podcasts, playlists and music downloads.

Support & Subscribe Today