as in the fairy tale, before you walked through the forest ,
of the good fairy or of the talking animal,
-and must, as in the fairy tale,
have forgotten the warning after all.
At least, instead of the all too anecdotal happiness, you cling to the
moment
when the nonsense let up and the new familiarity was felt as pain.
The dreams are in the offing.
They are there:
A large red cherry falls slowly past you down the elevator shaft.
At the end of the long row ofhouses, in the middle of the street,
stands a stag.
- And at least, as in the hit tune, it is time to dream again .
-And at least, the time when you can dream is a sensible time .
Already you nod to yourself in the street and shake your head ;
munch, like a child, an apple in bed before falling asleep;
walk straight through puddles
and again say "merry-go-round" instead of "carousel " .
On a cold, bright morning
still imbued by a long
bliss-kindling dream
where you were
what you can be
-the dream itselfwas the fulfillment-
and at the sight of the wide sky behind the edge of the city
you look forward to growing old for the first time,
and in front of the child,
who looks at you
after he has knocked over the glass,
you think
if the child wouldn't have to look at you like that any more–
that might be the real way .
Translated by Michael Roloff
