At Night On The High Seas

Mark Ryden

at night, when the Sea cradles me,

and the pale Star gleam.
lies down on its broad waves,
then I free Myself wholly,
from all activity and all the Love
and stand silent and Breathe purely,
alone, alone Cradled by the sea
that lies there, cold and Silent, with a thousand lights.
then I have to think of my friends,
and my gaze Sinks into their gazes,
and I ask each one, silent, alone:
"are you still mine?
is my sorrow a sorrow to you, my Death a Death?
do you feel from my love, my grief,
just a Breath, just an echo?"
and the sea Peacefully gazes back, silent,
and smiles: no.
and no greeting and now answer comes from Anywhere.

Hermann Hesse