Time
Translated from Portuguese by John Keene Time is an essence I carry within me Time and its strands They've been coiled inside me since my navel was knotted It has as its complementary counterpart The space between time and its options Time, lord of the hours reigns sovereign Subtly, on a silver cord People don't kill time He is the killer.
Originally published in the December 2018 issue of Words Without Borders. © Cristiane Sobral. By arrangement with the author. Translation © 2018 by John Keene. All rights reserved.