Cool as the night, she steps
out of winding, echoing hallways into the silent room.
He follows her, besotted, bursting with life,
they look at each other. They are barely breathing.
From outside, darkness falls through the window into the room,
flows through her, renders her strangely lost and empty.
His face seems familiar – they have always known each other
but she does not – does not know whence.
In the stillness, fear is blooming. She looks around searchingly.
She is out of place. She's cold. What is hidden here?
Whispers from far away: You have forgotten us. She knows
someone is waiting just one thought away.
He sees her eyes flitting to the window,
the apprehensive doubts in her face,
and he coaxes, he tempts, „they're only lies, ghosts,
please do not - - - do not believe them.
Tonight we were wanderers in the mosaic,
tonight, sparks fell from distant music,
and for two or three moments you were free, you were feather-light,
you do remember?
We danced in puddles, in the wind, hand in hand,
through the light, like dragonflies at summer's rim,
tonight, clear as blue topaz,
stars drifted in the water glass -
please - you do still recall?“
But she doesn't listen. She ponders. Fearfully, he stands by,
watches as she blindly reaches out for memories,
and, as if in a mist, she senses another life,
the breath of time that restlessly wafts around her.
He falls to his knees: „Why do you want to understand?
You were happy tonight, here in shadow and smoke.
Without you, the world we know must perish
and so - - - so must I.“
She turns away. What is pity? What faithfulness?
Somewhere, the sun shines red and warm on her face.
She floats upward and feels neither grief nor regret
as the mirror shatters into thousands of shards.
She sees through the floor, the walls, the room,
speaks five quiet words: „It is only a dream. . .“
He calls her name, he tries to seize her
when wordlessly the waking world envelops her.
He watches all that was fade into oblivion
and feels himself dissolving gently into the early light.
He thinks of the blue topaz,
the stars in the water glass. . .
Dragonflies in the light. He decides to forgive
as the morning wind carries away pictures like dust.
It was worth living for one dreamlit night
even if nothing - - - nothing remains.
Eva 2006
(Music: Crystal 2006)