when the house fell down
- the had been warned it was decaying
long ago & many times & always in vain -

a few of them still clung
to the odd beam even as they fell
& praised the plans of the architects

the also praised the foundations
before into their quickly spreading cracks
they vanished in the end

& from the depths still they were praising
the roof built to protect them
the collapse of which finally killed them

Translated by Andre Lefevere