Listening to Jan Johansson

‘En Gång i min Ungdom’ [Once Upon A Time in My Youth]

by Stephen Keeler

There must be mornings
when you too begin to wake
in foetal sunlight

and before a half-thought
has become a history
and an outstretched arm
has stopped at pain;

and having felt your way downstairs
put on the coffee
sliced the cheese
and placed the napkin on the tray

you too stand
in the porcelain silence
and weep.