STEPMOTHER

Hard freeze, and the stepmother

kicks me out of the house.

In the barn the cows were steaming.

It was warm to be with them.

I didn’t curse anyone,

nor did I think about my fate.

When I started down the village path,

I had my father’s old shirt on

which I wore like a dress.

On the first big crossroad,

(all crossroads are big)

a man asked me where I was going

and I told him I’m going far

beyond the hills

to seek Father and Holy Mother.

I wandered everywhere

like a God’s fool.

whatever I acquired—I lost.

what I gave life to—died.

My stepmother died too.

Now I’ve no one left in the world.

Only her countless sons

and her wicked daughters.