What Happened To The Sage

Translated by Stephen Watts and Marga Burgui-Artajo

As he was delivering his talk
in the crowded hall
They were there
dissecting his corpse according to
the pattern of intelligence reports
leaving the remains of his blood
in the family fridge.
When he came down off the podium
amid the music of the applause
he felt for his neck
found nothing but a dreadful void
and a deep gash, damp across his collar.
He ran in panic into the audience ...
craving the safety of the empty chairs ...
stumbling over the echoes' guffaws
............
...............
Nobody
just an old attendant
drivelling on about
some mad man
he'd seen a moment before -
with his own eyes -
searching between the seats
for his severed head

Amman 1993