words have been used up chewed up like gum by lovely young mouths have been turned into white balloons bubbles

diminished by politicians they’re used for whitening teeth and for the rinsing out of mouths

in my childhood words could be applied to a wound could be given to the one you loved

now diminished wrapped in newspaper they still contaminate still reek they still hurt

hidden in heads hidden in hearts hidden under the gowns of young women hidden in holy books they burst out they kill

(translated from the Polish by Bill Johnston)