February Jinks, Rodney Nelson translating Ron Winkler

translated from the German by Rodney Nelson

I

again you know it all and so are able

to point out to me that my palsy is just

a common efflorescence of that month, not

beautiful to be sure yet rather useful

when applied as an antithesis to gauge

the extent of summer.

II

one should have, you add with tart concern, well-

sharpened sled runners in every instance

to make it over this long-winded cold stretch,

maybe do two deep knee bends qd as well,

commonly recommended for the so-called

Conditio beneath one’s carefully re-

knitted skin

(or did you say Condition?).

III

we’d have known snow to be a suffix as a rule

(staged into a white-flake trellis)—

therefore unsounded and easy to slur. furthermore,

that the main noun would read weather.

IIII

people are said to be nearest to

the universe this month, as if in

the sky-fall of many galaxies:

unplumbable in depth,

duration (transcendence),

and luminosity.

d’accord, I think, until I pick

up on the grandiose way that

you’re laughing about it.