Money for Candles
The neighbor is a devout woman.
She bakes bread and lights candles,
scolds the noisy children of others,
and dresses in modest clothes.
Everyone in the building fears her.
They believe she can see through skin.
Let someone lie or even laugh,
and she immediately marks them as wicked.
The other day, by the lamp post across the street,
old man Gosho fell—indecently drunk.
And our dear, righteous neighbor
quietly slipped a few dollars from his pocket.
Violeta Zlatareva is a Bulgarian writer and poet. Her books include Whale Academy and Register Misfortunes. Her work has appeared in print and digital anthologies. Her debut novel, Zdr, ko pr?, is forthcoming.