Because of Hunger
or because of great love
your mother will bear witness...

I wanted to swallow you, child,
when I felt your tiny body cool
cool in my hands
like a glass of warm tea.

Neither stranger were you, nor guest.
on our earth, one births only one self;
one links oneself into rings
and those rings into chains.

Child, the word for you would be love;
but without words,
you are love:
the seed of dream,
unbidden third,
who from the limits of the world
swept two of us
into consomate pleasure

How can you shut your eyes,
leaving me here
in the dark world of snow
you've shrugged off?

You never even had your own cradle
to learn the dances of the stars.
The shameful sun,
who never shone on you,
should shatter like glass.
Your faith burned away in the drop of poison,
you drank down as simply as milk.

I wanted to swallow you, child
to taste the future
waiting for me.
Maybe you will blossom again in my veins.

I'm not worthy of you, though,
I can't be your grave.
I leave you to the summoning snow,
this first respite.

You'll descend now like a splinter of dusk
into the stillness,
bringing greetings from me
to the slim shoots under the cold.

I wanted to swallow you, child.