| José
Manuel Arango
Translated by John Oliver Simon
The Bird Vendor
in the market, among his cages
the vendor of birds
voices the tongue of the conquerors
but behind his sibilant speech
and the surprising copulation
of words
an ancient harmonious language is hidden
clearer, closer
to tortoises and fire
which thinks in him
and gives another order to the world
and when in the regal plaza
for a moment, at noon
he sets the birds on his finger
and talks to them
his act conceals other actions
with an older meaning
and to his enchanted gestures
the birds move their golden eyes
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