The Disappeared

By Cecilia Vicuña

Translated By Rosa Alcalá

To bear another, to be a pair
                          To be torn apart

I heard it said,
“Evil was invented
to give us something
to talk about”

But how to speak
if each syllable
falls into the sea

The m of mother
                     drifting away
                                  other, other
                                            where have you gone?

The f of father
                     sinking further down
                                  ather, ather
                                            where have you gone?

They didn’t fall
                     They were thrown

to leave us
           without speech
           to drown our words.