Response to Levertov's "Beyond the End"

Available death tickled my knee!

It's over my heart now.

Activating each other,

getting bigger and bigger each and every second

like the mystery of solid dreams. 

Its potentiality is gathering,

now I feel it everywhere

as if a spider is walking

all over me,

mumbling humble rhythms.

Gathering and strolling towards my throat,

I knew it was gonna happen!

-I am not ready yet.

They thought for a while and said:

"Fine, but we'll be back"

I took a deep breath.

although it's inevitable,

although it's the end,

although it's beyond the end,

although it's to begin, to be and to defy.

It was like tons of salt, sailing in my liver!

Özlem Yaşayanlar

1994, Ankara