There Was a Country by the Sea

here was a country by the sea

but I cannot say for certain

whether it was part of a lonely isle

or merely some coastal region.

A landing-stage of rotten blanks stretched carefully into the waves

and for one moment I did wonder

what frightening purpose it might serve.

Oh，heavy, roaring

endless seas

what secrets does this rage entomb?

Have ancient memories or hungry ghosts

gathered all their strength

to call for this storm?

Deep-seated gardens

almost a labyrinth

walled in by ruins and rocks ivy-clad

perhaps this strange place had once been a palace

where now viole(n)t bushes bear dark thorns instead.

A young boy was taking me by the hand

and unerringly he was leading me down below the gardens

which I hardly remembered

the moment I took the first step underground.

We came to a room with only small windows

and to my suprise I could somehow still hear

though reduced to a murmur

now chant-like and humming

to once savage voice of the roaring sea.

The boy has built a catacomb

he is living in a tomb

below the ground

where there's no sound

he is hiding from the world.

Something resembling an altar was built there

a secret overshadowed structure and use

underneath

in inanimate self-contemplation

lay a jet-black mass of coal-like granules.

Yet, this dark material had an unearthly lightness

and when I touched it, to feel what it was

it did seem to totally ignore my presence…

without leaving a trace

it came trickling off.

Then out of a sudden from under the barrow something appeared

unexpectedly:

it was the bones of the little boy's mother

which he had placed with greatest care underneath

The boy has built a catacomb

he is living in a tomb

below the ground

where there's no sound

he is hiding from the world

There must have been something in my look(s)

'cause the little boy started to speak

and to my unvoiced Question of why he had done this

he answered these words to me:

"This is the only way I can be save from her

only this can guarantee

that she will not rise again

because when she does

she is always following me.

There's just no alternative

I cannot escape from her

because as soon as I try

she will get up again

merely to haunt me…

oh, believe me

I have tried numerous times!

But here in these vaults I have finally found something that works like a seal

these jet-black granules do keep me from harm

and her bones can no longer hurt me.

Piled up in a certain

specific form

all the remains must be covered with it

then everything keeps still and for a brief moment I can pretend

that she does not exist.

Yet, all the time I must be on my guards

because now and then it can happen indeed

that frequently the earth does tremble and shaken

and some of the stones are Starting to slip.

So, constantly I have to control the barrow

the jet-black darkness of the coal-like mass

in order to be there

to repair the damage

to pile all back safely and to replace..."

The boy has built a catacomb

he is living in a tomb

below the ground

where there's no sound

he is hiding from the terrible world

It took me a while to realize that we all have secrets and fears…

- is it then a surprise that we close our minds

from the pain that is causing these tears ?

he boy has built a catacomb

he is living in a tomb

far below the ground

where there's no sound

he is hiding from the

terrible world…