Graves of the Concubines

Rilke Translation

David S.

In their long brown hair they lie,
Deep in self, vision long gone.
The Eyes too far distant.
Skeletons, Mouths, Flowers.
In their mouths, smooth teeth
like a travel chess set
carved of elephant tusk,
arranged in rows.
And flowers, golden pearls, slender bones,
Hands and Hems, withering fabric
over collapsed hearts.
But there, under those rings,
Talismans and eye-blue stones (favorite…