Snow Women Are Falling
Translated from Albanian
Snow women are falling,
so I took off my coat,
closed my umbrella
and let their crystals
roll down my body,
one by one,
just like ripe fruit
in fire,
like birds made of gold.
Snow women are falling,
so I unbuttoned
every button of my shirt,
let the crystals run
on my skin,
mingle with my waters,
dance in my forest,
doze off into the night
like sparrows on my trees.
I ran out into the snowy garden like a child,
held the snow upon my forehead
like a pearl,
I feel each crystal
lying pearl by pearl,
woman by woman,
I cradle them with care
between my hands,
as I’m so afraid
they’ll melt
from the heat
of my own desire.
Snow women are falling,
so everyone stepped outside—
barbarians and civilized,
poor and rich.
Some brought hunting rifles,
others hooks,
a large bottle of wine…
…sacks and bedding.
Snow women are falling
and the government declared
a state of emergency
for white love.
While some men are ready to marry the snow women,
others plan to attack them,
some to dominate them,
while the old
prepare the bank check in their pocket
to buy a little white breast-hair from the sky
to decorate their bedroom.
But when the snow women heard
the clinking
of men’s chains,
saw the gleam of blades,
the hungry teeth,
the savage hands,
they grew anxious for their virginity,
so they packed their suitcases
and decided to fall
upon other lands.
