When We Die
Written by Kristina Ehin
Translated from the Estonian by Ilmar Lehtpere
Narrated by the Poet
Estonia
When we die we go to the land of the dead
not thinking how – we know where to go
we see behind our own eyes
and into our hearts’ tributaries
after long long winter
the soles of feet are tender
like the skin on a foal’s eyelids
in spring in spring – elegantly down the stairs
and then along the cobblestones
where it hurts a little to walk
without shoes
hot hot day
between the jaws of dewy morning and cool evening
your breath wilts me parches me
burns my northern cheeks
birds birds
birds over rivers birds over graves
birds over camomile and steps of stone
birds over islets and treetops birds over meadows –
birds birds
and their caaa-a-ll
Kristiina Ehin is a leading Estonian poet. Her work has been translated into dozens of languages. She has had several books published in English in Ilmar Lehtpere’s translation, including the British Poetry Society Popescu Prize winner The Drums of Silence (Oleander Press) and the British Poetry Book Society Recommended Translation The Scent of Your Shadow (Arc). 1001 Winters (Bitter Oleander Press) was also shortlisted for the Popescu Prize. Her most recent book in English is On the Edge of a Sword (Arc).
Ilmar Lehtpere is an Estonian poet and translator. His most recent translations into English are On the Edge of a Sword by Kristiina Ehin (Arc, 2018), and Shortening the Candle’s Wick by Andres Ehin and Ly Seppel (Carcanet, 2018).