Hanging from the Trees of Babylon’s Temple

Translated by Ali Alizadeh and John Kinsella

Finally, I shall plunge into my millennia
of existence
head over heels from the towers of Cheghaa-Zanbeel,
the ineffable compelling language’s
leap to their parapets.
It’s obvious that you will worship me
as ancient icon
hanging from the trees of Babylon’s temple
Athens will see first light with me              and Paris          and
Persepolis
in countless tongues
shred me to bits
each bit orbiting your eyes with the zest of a word
sniggering with me
and the gravity of language towards Plato
and the flocks of Artemis
and the insurgency of separatist words.
All are within me
and I, into my millenia of existence
from virgins illumined on temple walls
to shadows splitting from your hard-drive
will be shattered
as all that’s shattered is of me
you may ask
you may ask of me the future
I’ll babble back the language of Babylon’s people.