Jan Kooistra was the RIXT poet of the month in February. His poem ‘already February’ is translated below. You can read his original Frisian poems here.
already February
no moon, no stars, as if still December, frosty fog
and sounds of traveling geese, from faraway the
last signs of village life drift over as his torch
lights his search for a dog vanished into the dark
bushes, abruptly they light up, two red-hot eyes
in the night like a Wolf God from times dusty and
distant which spark thoughts of purification feasts
a time of reconciliation, temple doors closed, no
music allowed, merely the nightly vigil among the dead,
he crosses the bridge and hears the dark stream murmur
how time flies, where have the years gone that he lost
anxiety takes hold, not to mention today’s news, those
horrible images, they stay with him, those potentates who
bring death and destruction, never have enough, he would
like to chain them to a rock and leave them for the crows
but he can’t, as invisible as his sign in the northern sky
back in the village he quickens his step, even the dog wants
to return home, he locks the door and puts out the fire, you
coming, he hears her call, no need to say that twice, he
enters the bedroom, disrobes and holds on to her tightly
© Jan Kooistra
translation: Trevor Scarse