the moment i’m in culture

by Jimu Langge
     trs. by Sophia Kidd

when i’m not in culture
where am i
there’s no answer to this question
i am in myself   what is this
the soul goes out of the body
and rises from the top of the head
or it drops from the ass
face things in front of you
the city, a young girl and the road
what would it be worth to look and not see

when i am most responsible
and least responsible
i blame culture
and get quite excited
i don’t feel noble
after calming down
nor do i think i’m
under the radar

opposed to culture
i appear in the mirror
smash the mirror and
turn into a shard}
it’s impossible
and i’m convinced its culture’s fault
so culture is like the sun and i
blame the sun
which shines down on me
i blame myself

if you’re gentle to subordinates
then open up to others too
you see, there’s not much
in this world
worth opposing