Spring

By Elfriede Jelinek

Translated By Michael Hofmann

april breath

of  boyish red

the tongue crushes

strawberry dreams

                                  hack away wound

                                  and wound the fountain

and on the mouth

perspiration white

from someone's neck

a little tooth

has bit the finger

of  the bride the

                                  tabby yellow and sere

                                  howls

the red boy

from the gable flies

an animal hearkens

in his white throat

                                  his juice runs down

                                  pigeon thighs

a pale sweet spike

still sticks

in woman white

lard

an april breath

of  boyish red