← v5n1, Spring 2006
Poetry · Volume 5, Number 1

Courage

“Es steht da,” it is there, like “unser Leben,” all that

Is the case, words, your being able to “accept many

Things,” wars, one you fought in, “vom Wahnsinn”

Surrounded, madness, three dead brothers, Selbtsmord,

Tempted yourself, suffered “die Schrecken der Hölle,”

A single day quite enough, instead “Selbstgespräche,”

Conversations, Ludwig, often stammered, with yourself,

Silent, locked, where “man nicht sprechen kann,”

Yet sure philosophy should be written “nur dichten,”

As a poem, spoke like a lion (who could understand?),

Today lionized, reviled, revered, explained, imagined,

Abused, outed (puzzle “solved”), despite commandment,

“Spiele nicht,” don’t toy with, “den Tiefen,” depths

Of another, whole cloud of philosophy “kondensiert,”

Last days, dreams, rain, “Mut,” fumbled, now for keys,

Mislaid spectacles, then, finally, face to face, “das Wort.”