Sylvio Fraga
Spring and All
My son asked where it is and I responded,
go to the sand and turn left: New Jersey.
He looked at me and said:
I dreamt of a cushion that was the sea.
Later he came to speak with me at the beach
leaving tiny footprints,
each one the half of a heart.
I was fishing catfish casting into the waves.
As I brought back an empty hook
he stopped in front of me and squeezed my penis.
Is this your penis, dad? Am I in Bahia?
Yes.
Where is Bahia?
Here.
Oh.
My son asked where it is and I responded,
go to the sand and turn left: New Jersey.
He looked at me and said:
I dreamt of a cushion that was the sea.
Later he came to speak with me at the beach
leaving tiny footprints,
each one the half of a heart.
I was fishing catfish casting into the waves.
As I brought back an empty hook
he stopped in front of me and squeezed my penis.
Is this your penis, dad? Am I in Bahia?
Yes.
Where is Bahia?
Here.
Oh.
poem originally written in Portuguese, translated by the author.
Sylvio Fraga is a musician and poet from Rio de Janeiro. He has published a few books, released a few albums, and is currently artistic director at the record label Rocinante. He is father of a little person called Felix.