Over the city the high moon lay,
Ancient buildings stood tall …
You voice was impartial and far away:
“I want to sleep. Farewell.”
Were we enemies or were we friends?
Briefly we shook our hands,
Drily resounded upon the stones
Steps in the long dress.
Something had shimmered—familiar pain,
Ancient angst’s overflow …
You want to sleep? So to sleep, and may
Your dreams be beautiful, so.
May the doctor’s analysis not
Bother your dreaming and comfort.
Maybe in life you will also prefer
Peace to the travails of road.
Maybe the wave will not lift you at all,
The earth’s temptations kill you—
In this fog how dimly the goal
Is seen, and the roads so much differ!
It is a joy with sleep to chase woe,
Sleepy ones have no ambition,
Only the light hopes they will not know,
They will not glimpse resurrection,
They cannot fold their dreams in their souls,
Storms are deserving heroes!
I will fight and I will cry, and you might
Sleep peacefully here.