CHURCH IN THE SLOVENIAN HILLS

Dappled tent
of weary pilgrims
the protective color
of the wise turtle
lichen of ancient nights
moss of placid forests
the silence of a butterfly —
duration achieved by
patience —
but it is not a sphinx
or a fish
or a fairy dragon
but a weary ox
with a thick head
leaning against the sky
opening at times
his kind eyes
for the fragrant hay
and the intoxicated incense
for a cock in the wind
and bronze bells
he still watches over
the holy manger
connecting existent things
with those not yet created;
there are no cracks
be still, heart
beat softly
so that the message
of the silent parchment
docs not fall
to dust.

Cerkev v Slovenskih goricah

Cerkev v Slovenskih goricah

Grahasti šotor
utrujenih romarjev,
varovalna barva
pametne zelve,
lišaj starih noci,
mah krotkih gozdov,
tišina metulja,
iz potrpezljivosti
sešteto trajanje —
in vendar ni sfinga
niti riba faronika
niti pravljicni zmaj,
to je utrujeni vol
z debelo glavo
naslonjeno na nebo,
dobrotljivo oko
se mu vcasih odpre
za dišece seno
ali omamno kadilo,
za petelina v vetru
in bronaste zvonove,
se vedno zdi
ob svetih jaslih,
ustvarjeno veze
z neustvarjenim.
nikjer ni razpoke,
srce, miruj,
ne utripaj preglasno,
da se sporocilo
tihega pergamenta
ne sesuje v prsih.