What unites us is a link

What unites us is a link

By Legna Rodríguez Iglesias

Translated by Cynthia Steele

5

And so

on Youtube

I spend hours

indulging my urges

to give French

kisses

to the philosophers

and so forth

in unofficial

countries

the sweet and sour ones

and the salty ones

and even the acid ones

melt away from me

cut me

beat me

lift the whip

yesterday History

was one hundred pages long.

6

There were loves

with various boys

and various men

and various girls

and various souls

and various years

loves remain

in your conscience

green tea is left to us

a photo remains

in the inbox

there remains a drop

in the spam

7

A pineapple remains

in the language

of squashes

gastronomy

and passion

the fucking zoup

Brussel sprouts

inflamed sprouts

had inside

had outside

a mushroom

a friend’s foot

don’t fall

in front of me

and the fucking

Dominican zuape

that I don’t know how to use.

8

That’s why Heidegger

didn’t believe me

when I told him

I’m a cook

I’m a floor cleaner

I’m a can opener

I’m a maid

I’m a mayordomo

I’m a construction worker

I’m the twin

of a tragedy

now laugh

Heidegger.

Legna Rodríguez Iglesias was born in Cuba in 1984 and lives in Miami. She has published sixteen books and received five literary awards.

Cynthia Steele’s translations have appeared in Chicago Review, TriQuarterly, Southern Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, and other journals.