To make the flowers fresh again, she said [beautiful] Mary Oliver Ni Zhijuan so I put them in the sink, because the cold tiles are gentle, I take out the rotten ones, and tilt each stem obliquely

Let the flowers be fresh again, she said

Mary Oliver

Translated by Ni Zhijuan

So I put them in the sink because of the cold tiles

is gentle,

I took out the rotten ones and put each stem

Cut it diagonally,

Pluck off the blackened, broken leaves and make them all —

Roses, flying swallow grass, daisies, irises, lilies,

And many more that I don't know the name of, inserted into the fresh and bright water —

Put them again

Lift them up and let them sit down

Positions of your choice, wheels, spurs,

A small carport for flower buds. Do it

Probably it took a quarter of an hour.

Nothing plays

A quarter of an hour.