from White Monkey [35.]

Translated by Christian Gullette

I read poems,


describe a family being crushed by its own baggage.

A publisher says I fill a niche.

“We want to make sure nobody mistakes you


for Athena Farrokhzad.”

She says that many of the poems are good,


but certain ones are


typical immigrant poems.

“You can cut those.

There are, after all, two poets in Sweden


and one in Denmark


writing about those things.”

I ask what people are writing about today,


what is considered new?

“People write about all kinds of things!


The archipelago,


the Winter War,


and alcoholism.”