She asked: change me
into a stone. Or better still:
a prehistoric bone.

Lay me on the edge of something.
No longer deal with me.
Mean nothing to me.

Lay me down. Cut out my time,
let it graze in the meadows,
let it rave on the prairies.

Do not blow me out. Do not overtake me.
Don't dive for me within myself.
Wait for me unwearyingly.

Grow lovelier each day because of me.

Translation: Willem Groenewegen