The Land of Elves

Image by Kristian Hernstrom


THE LAND OF ELVES

maybe you’ll never breathe
your hand is on your belly
don’t breathe
maybe you’re not dreaming
you may not sleep
with your hand in your groin
you’re not asleep
don’t breathe
maybe there’s never been
a golden root or branch or earth
for you to wallow in
the land of elves awaits you
the land prepares your coming
you are tiny
don’t breathe don’t dream
because the ogres could find you
the land feels wretched
without your feet on it

my name is ramón
unfortunately my name is ramón
at my feet is a tiny land
I am a gnome a wingless elf
I’m not breathing
there’s no god as small as me
in the land of elves
my name is ramón
there are 24 hours in a day
the day is a kind of land
my name is ramón I’m not dreaming
and I don’t invent another land
beneath my belly
I’m always wingless
the land will always be far away
like a dream like a belly
like the land of elves
damn


Ramon Fernandez Larrea

Posted over on Poems & Poetics