Tale of an Architect

1.

Architecture: the art of building doors

to open up—the building of openness;

building not to isolate and hem in

nor to shut up secrets, but building

every door an open door—building

houses made only of doors and roofs.

Architect: the one who opens to man

(in open houses all would be cleansed)

doors-leading-to, never doors-against;

doors to freedom: air light sure reason.

2.

Until, intimidated by so many free men,

he stopped letting them live transparently.

Where there were openings he put in

opacities; instead of glass, plaster—

resealing man in the chapel-uterus

with the old comforts, once more a fetus.

Translated by Richard Zenith