Agneta Falk Hirschman is a Swedish-born poet, visual artist, editor, translator and activist. Her poetry is translated into many languages, and she’s participated in numerous international poetry festivals. In 2018 she was the recipient of the Regina Coppola International Poetry Award in Italy. Her latest book of poetry, Fall and Fly, was published by Seventh Tangent Press, 2023. She lives in San Francisco.
DANCING ON A WING OF BREATH
The wind brought me here
to a hidden corner
on a stony beach
something about the light
the sky, the sea
melting in to one, into me
the pounding waves
sounding like I feel inside
and there she is, my mother
and all the mothers before her
dancing on a wing of breath
becoming my breath
and nothing can stop me now
from releasing a torrent of tears
for all those who’ve passed
and for those wandering over the earth
in search of a home
where bombs don’t fall.
AG DAMHSA AR EITE ANÁLA
An ghaoth a thug anseo mé
chuig cúinne rúnda
ar dhuirling
rud éigin faoin solas
an spéir, an mhuir
ag leá ina chéile, ionamsa
torann na dtonn
ar nós mar a mhothaímse istigh
agus siúd thall í, mo mháthairse
is na máithreacha uile roimpi
ag damhsa ar eite anála
ar m'anáilse anois í
agus níl aon ní a stopfadh anois mé
ó rabharta a chaoineadh
ar son na marbh
agus ar son na n-anamacha go léir atá ar fán
agus áit á lorg acu
atá saor ó bhuamaí.