of this lion-colored earth
when its eyes absent themselves
to open on the blue
which colors its sense

like you like the poem
this earth is born
of the look that dreamed it

life is a crossing
between two shores
analogy of margins
slow movement toward the unfinished
song of innocence and memory

scribe in the night of language
when night speaks the language of noughts
you are on this earth
to grow your soul
tame what's human
in dread
inhabit the word's word
and keep the poem's promise

Translation: Marilyn Hacker