“A Twist on Translation” poetry by Elliott Zorintsky ’18

Photo by Jake Levin

A Twist on Translation

Grasping my hand tightly,
warmth radiating from your fingertips—
you lead me along a trodden path.

Trees sway in the gentle breeze,
leaves shift aimlessly against the wind.
Aromas of wildflowers permeate our bodies like ghosts.
Still water,
shimmers beneath the golden glow of a setting sun.
You squeeze my hand even tighter,
and together—
together we stand like the silhouettes of a forgotten day.

We turn.
Trees fade,
green vanishes into an array of red
leaves that fall like ash from a dying fire.
Brisk air cuts through our hands,
and severs our dying hearts.

I look up…
Snowflakes land upon my tongue,
the bittersweet taste of youth.
Trees creak,
an eerie sound in this dense cold.
Spinning around I feel the shadows of loneliness,
seeping through my frozen bones.
I am alone.
Like lost footprints amidst white snow.