Can you hear it, Dave, that noise outside Poem by Brane Mozetič

Can you hear it, Dave, that noise outside. Maybe
it's a burglar. Or a bomb. Come on, wake up
Dave, maybe another war has broken out and we'll have
to go into the basement again. You know nothing about this.
How many hours, days, to be spent in darkness.
Or is it only a fire? Has the neighbour fallen out of bed?
Anything is possible. You keep sleeping, not saying
anything. Wake up Dave, so I won't be alone when
the end of the world comes. You're a pile of meat, Dave, who has
rolled around with everyone. Nothing gets you.
You won't even know when your flesh
starts to rot. It'll be horrible in the basement
and I'll have to throw you out to the dogs.
Then all the night clubs will be safe from you. Dave,
you say nothing. Can you hear me, do you ever listen?
Another noise. I think there won't be
a war. Perhaps it's only our world crashing down
in pieces in the middle of the night when decent people
are asleep, like you, Dave, and I eavesdrop on noises
and am afraid.

Translation: 2003, Elizabeta Žargi and Timothy Liu