Calming the Herd

by Gyrðir Elíasson

When I came inside the dark house
after a while away, I laid my bag
aside and glanced at the ceramic
animals on the shelf, lit obliquely
as if from within.  I sat
in an easy chair and watched them
a long time in the darkness like
a zookeeper in wartime.
I realized that my journey
wasn’t over even though I had already
come home

Translated by Meg Matich.
Originally appeared in eleveneleven journal.