When I was a boy my grandfather died, and he was a sculptor.
He was also a very kind man who had a lot of love to give the world, and he helped clean up the slum in our town; and he made toys for us and he did a million things in his lifetime; he was always busy with his hands.
And when he died, I suddenly realized I wasn't crying for him at all, but for the things he did.
I cried because he would never do them again, he would never carve another piece of wood or help us raise doves and pigeons in the back yard or play the violin the way he did, or tell us jokes the way he did.
He was part of us and when he died, all the actions stopped dead and there was no one to do them just the way he did.
He was individual.
He was an important man.
I've never gotten over his death.
Often I think, what wonderful carvings never came to birth because he died.
How many jokes are missing from the world, and how many homing pigeons untouched by his hands.
He shaped the world.
He did things to the world.
The world was bankrupted of ten million fine actions the night he passed on.
Do not stand at my grave and weep -
I am not here, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamonds glints on the snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I did not die...
And what if there were nothing left but to die? Well, if I have to, I will die as bravely as anyone.
Death is of little consequence. Rise once more, vessel of mine. It matters not how many times you are struck down. The Cult shall continue to grow.
Listen to the sounds of your own extinction?
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,
And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste:
Then can I drown an eye (unused to flow)
For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,
And weep afresh love's long since cancelled woe,
And moan th'expense of many a vanished sight;
Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,
And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er
The sad account of fore-bemoand moan,
Which I new pay as if not paid before:
But if the while I think on thee (dear friend)
All losses are restored, and sorrows end.
Le soleil au déclin empourprait la montagne
Et notre amour saignait comme les groseilliers
Puis étoilant ce pâle automne d'Allemagne
La nuit pleurant des lueurs mourait à nos pieds
Et notre amour ainsi se mêlait à la mort
Au loin près d'un feu chantaient des bohémiennes
Un train passait les yeux ouverts sur l'autre bord
Nous regardions longtemps les villes riveraines
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