[When one of us goes]

When one of us goes to the other world, we gather
and weep so that the ocean of our tears may take the
deceased to their final resting place.

[The path of life]

The path of life: a long river that flows, indifferent
to our time, our wristwatches, our glances. We are
only minuscule reflections of this long river.

[We watch the coffin disappear]

We watch the coffin disappear, our shadows are
reflected on the bier—but are these our shadows or
the spirits which already are waiting for dusk in
order to haunt us?

(Translated by Nancy Naomi Carlson)