Julie Hamel


Translation of Annie Molin Vasseur's poem "Mémoires océanes"

Ocean Memories
(excerpts)

I conch or vessel
As an Oyster floating in spats
Away from my inception
I've drifted upon a reef
Clotting the lustrous ivory
Inside all of Japanese curios

I
Infinite ocean
Universal memory
Wee pearl
Within an iridescent womb
Cradle of humanity


Like a barge keeled over
Taking in water like an open wound
I lay
Winkles and other parasites
Encrusted for eternity
In my navigator-shell
Oars stowed away
Into a deserted womb
Carved from the ocean floor
Distilling calcic tears
I pray to propel memory into motion.

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