The ocean inhabits me like light fills a city Poem by Steffen Popp

Empty balconies glowed, islands suspended at the outskirts
the air, presumably sleeping, lazed around, a ferry

I leaned my head into her torso
found, in the river's regime, a current
under bridges, and in tunnels
the instruments
chains of light, swirling off.

Near the harbor
I was alone with the water, which touches the land there
cranes splint the continent
at its edges, along the horizon, the sea
occurs.

Translated by Christian Hawkey