November in the Former DDR

The almighty cyclop’s-eye clouded over

and the grass shook itself in the coal dust.

Beaten black and blue by the night’s dreams,

we board the train

that stops at every station

and lays eggs.

Almost silent.

The clang of the church bells’ buckets

fetching water.

And someone’s inexorable cough

scolding everything and everyone.

A stone idol moves its lips:

it’s the city.

Ruled by iron-hard misunderstandings

among kiosk attendants butchers

metalworkers naval officers

iron-hard misunderstandings, academics!

How sore my eyes are!

They’ve been reading by the faint glimmer of the glowworm lamps.

November offers caramels of granite.

Unpredictable!

Like world history

laughing at the wrong place.

But we hear the clang

of the church bells’ buckets fetching water

every Wednesday

—is it Wednesday?—

so much for our Sundays!