my dad gave Roman Śliwonik a black eye
and Roman Śliwonik wrote in a poem “some runt gave me a black eye”
they were very young
they didn’t know each other before or after
uncle Marian had to put this in perspective for my dad
and show him the poem “some runt gives me a black eye” in a literary magazine
uncle Marian who wasn’t yet a widower
created collages of himself and aunt Jola
behind wheels of enormous Cadillacs
they both looked like they were alive
gazing at each other
cast in the silver emulsion prints
like inside black and white amber
they were very young
they could chose either to be a cycle of collages in Cadillacs
or cyclists on bicycles made from armor steel in a state factory
they walked, sat, got dressed and undressed,
my daughter puzzles, just like people today
just like the living