the body gets sort of beat-up
being dragged from place to place
as solemnly as possible
but you know
we just can’t seem to manage
a suitable burial
not
in our little clearing
not
next to our little stream
not
at the back of the neighbour’s field
not
in the median strip out on the highway
not
in the alleyway behind the Translators’ Guild
our shovels are small
and crumbly
and the earth
much too hard
Translation Technique has been translated from French by the author. French originally appeared as Translation technique in Cousins de personne no. 10 (Summer 2016)
Simon Brown is a rural Quebec-based translator and interdisciplinary poet originally from the Maritime provinces. Working in French and English, he presents his texts in various contexts: magazines, conceptual artworks and performances. His latest book, Mollesse dure, was published by Le laps in 2014.