THEN WHEN DEATH LAUGHED AT US

Under the cold, our fingers shrink like lips before the astringency

while we are biting into fresh quinces.

We push our palms into the deep openings of the coats

 – everyone in their warm pocket fireplaces,

earlobes and nose tips are witnessing the sharpness of the wind,

saying; Hurry home,

so we don’t stand here,

 it’s always cooler by the water!

 Don’t come back to hug me,

I’ll see you another day.

Now, hurry and get up there,

it’s cold by the water!

Azemina Krehić was born on October 14, 1992 in Metković, Republic of Croatia. Winner of several international awards for poetry, including: Award of university professors in Trieste, 2019.,„Mak Dizdar“ award, 2020. Award of the Publishing Foundation of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2021. „Fra Martin Nedić“ Award, 2022. She is represented in several international anthologies of poetry.