Polina Tumanskaya, Russia

i don’t remember
if the day ran still

i remember
its crescent leaving burns
on the ground,

us walking,

father holding you—as if together
in a stranger ceramic
whose lip seemed to lack
flowers
or any breathing
thing

we carried you
to the riverbank
obscured by trees
and thick nettles

you must remember

those kind waters
that always led you ashore

i don’t remember
if i closed my eyes
because the smell scalded them

or because i could not look

i remember
father standing
knees-deep in the ripple of waves
rocking your hollow bed
from side to side

the river singing

the river cradling you
in a quiet embrace

you are lulled asunder


*

we remain silent

you remain no more

but all

the light

Polina is a Russian-English poet from Moscow. She's studying Philology at Moscow State University. Besides writing, Polina's interested in filmmaking and songwriting.