Don’t Ask for Directions

by Igor Satanovsky
self–translation from Russian

Nights turn her into the Great Bear:
The convincing big dipper of her body:
The seven shimmering chakras:
The shaggy head:

Remember: observe: get a clue:

Constellations don’t take questions:
They can only help you to navigate

* * *

he turns away: his voice changes:
well: no: it doesn’t concern me:
as for the rest of it: I go with the flow:

he enters elevator: moves up: down:
for years: would not exit:
then hears: this is your floor:

steps into a narrow basement
of locked door and moonlight
in the puddles

declares loudly:
such were the circumstances:
listens to the noise of hot water in the pipes:
gets no response