Konrad Bayer

“from The Bird Sings

it is twelve.
the fog changes its position.
the electrostatic machines disappear in a cloud of fog.
the winged youth has finished his exercises and appears once more above the surface of the water.
he takes note of this without astonishment.
a group of fish approaches the rows of nets and makes a curve to avoid them.
the fish traps stand out above the water and are covered in ice.
the wind drives the nets into the sea.
the youth lifts his wings out of the water.
the sea covers over with ice.
there are shells in the pockets of his clothes.
the youth's clothes cover over with shells.
his countenance is covered over with shells.
frozen seaweed floats before the youth's eyes.
the youth opens and closes his eyes.
the youth's chest rises when he breathes in.
the youth's chest sinks when he breathes out.
his fingers grow stiff.
his arms grow stiff.
his legs become rigid.
his arms and legs become totally white.
his countenance covers over with ice.
he twists his arms in their joints.
the fog clings to his shoulders.
the birds sing on the knife edge.
a row of fish divides the ice at definite intervals parallel to the horizon.
the fish have white fins with semi-circular scales.
they beat against the water with the broad edges of these fins in order to make better progress.
the fish leave.
the water freezes behind the fish.
the fog spreads.
the fish swim as far as they can.
the youth looks at the fog.
his shoulders are already covered in ice.
the sea salt dries on his wings.
the colours become ever whiter.
all the birds beat their wings against the ice on the sea.
the ice breaks under their wing beats.
the cracks in the ice fill up with water from the sea.
he cracks the ice from his lips.
the fog freezes on his hands.
he twists his arms in their joints. he flexes his fingers and begins his gymnastic exercises.
he takes note of his sweat, which breaks up the ice on the youth's shoulders.
the birds turn in a circle above the youth's head.
the youth looks at the birds.
the ice melts on the youth's cheeks.
the birds carry numbers on their wings.
the youth's countenance is covered with salt.
the salt closes up the cracks in the youth's countenance.
it is one.
his clothes fall from his skin.
he is dressed in sea salt.
he cracks the ice from his lips.
the fog rises from his lips.
he beats his wings under the wind.
the sea salt dries on his countenance.
the birds are motionless in space.
he braces his muscles and bends forwards.
the salt dries
on the holed umbrella in a heap of driftwood.
he beats his wings through the wind.
he cracks the ice from his lips.
the birds sing on the knife edge.
luminous numbers rise up.
he braces his muscles. the ice cracks from his shoulders. he rises slightly up from the water.
the fog detaches itself from his fingers.
he twists his hands. he flexes his arms.
he beats his wings over the wind.”
― Konrad Bayer, Selected Works of Konrad Bayer