under the sky's clear blue
the sea's breath lifts
the swimhouse up
and lets it sink

so that a calm spreads
out sleepgroggy
sleepy waking our
sea's calm breath
embedded in
the coastal range

the breathing is
a singing heard
on deck and far down
in the cabins how
near to breathing
singing lies

even in childhood
when father lying
closequartered in
nightdread on pillows
behind the thin wall

rocked us in sound and
gave us across darkness
the guiding song

Translated from the German by Derk Wynand