THE CAUTION

- by Miroslav Holub

A tree enters and says with a bow:
‘I am a tree.’
A black tear falls from the sky and says:
‘I am a bird.’
Down a spider’s web
something like love
comes near
and says:
‘I am silence.’
But by the blackboard sprawls
a national democratic
horse in his waistcoat
and repeats,
pricking his ears on every side
repeats and repeats
‘I am the engine of history
and
we all
love
progress
and
courage
and
the fighter’s wrath.’
Under the classroom door
trickles
a thin stream of blood.
For here begins
the massacre
of the innocents.

* * *

Translated from the Czech of Miroslav Holub, scientist, poet and immunologist, by Ian and Jarmila Milner