A Conversation

And the ancient words, against my will,
Fly off, escape my lips:
“Tell me, why? Lama azavtani, Eli, Eli? »

Shadow on my left sighs: « What, again?
Una poca cosa, you’re so annoyingly vain,
Are you daft, or is your highness from Land of Oz?

How you differ, tell, from billions of sick and slain? 
Time and time I to you explain: 
Just because”

“I am frozen”, I whisper, “I’ve got no fight
Left in me, no fire, no voice, no strength for flight

Spine is punctured with broken wings, head aches as if growing horns.
Take me where you please, scatter my ashes, leave me for drown”

And then speaks the shadow on my right: 
“See the thorns around? Take the thorns, 
Weave them into crown, -

And put it aside,
Taali takumi, walk, for whoever needs you alive-
Him of grey eyes, and him, of green, and her, of brown.” 

*****