The Forgotten Darkness




Now that the long winter nights become brighter than ever with halogen lights, here are eighteen of my songs for the Forgotten Darkness :

(1)

What does one beggar do
when another beggar comes to him
asking for money?
perhaps this is a meaningless question
or perhaps such things happen only in the movies
but as for my beggar
well, he can't do nothing at all
but stare into the eyes of his friend
while above both of them
the despicable winter sun
gently sinks into their tired eyes.

(2)

At the water's edge the beggar
sings the same song a million times
sometimes it is good
to hear your own voice
every noon the kite flies
round and round and round
screaming out her heart
for a fragile peace
that was never hers.

(3)

In this world
there are but three sorrows
one that is real
one that is unreal
and one that lies sleeping
in the abyss of your dark eyes
unknown even to you.

(4)

New year's Eve
the old beggar makes a fire
out of old lottery tickets
and on New year's Day
she changes the old water
in the vase with plastic flowers.

(5)

Christmas evening
The young man gives the beggar
His empty unused wallet.

(6)

Handing him a ten pound note
The girl asks the beggar
To give nine pounds back to her.

(7)

The old dog looks into the beggar’s bowl
And wonders which
Of the ten coins are for him.

(8)

The beggar has fifteen coins
He needs just one more
To teach his dog
How to play Chinese checkers.

(9)

Winter morning
At the temple
A long row of devotees
The beggar too takes out his three coins
And places them in a long row.

(10)

Busy market-square
The beggar and his violin
He is not very good at Mozart
But in this world
At least his dog has ears.

(11)

They say that the old temple
has now run out of priests
and I used to think
that there will be priests
as long as there are beggars.

(12)

Sunday afternoon
The beggar and his dog go fishing
The beggar prays to God
That he might catch some fish
The dog prays to the fish
That they might get caught.

(13)

December night
Taking a match stick from the beggar
She tries to light her cigarette.

(14)

Girl walks along the gaily-lit shops
And her perfume reminds the beggar
Of some of his own forgotten dreams.

(15)

The brown beggar comes to her door
and she screams : 'Do not disturb me now,
can you not see that I am praying?'
so he goes away wondering
to whom he should pray.

(16)

Even the bitterness of Spring
is a part of her beauty
in the city angry cars have become
rats that have forgotten their holes
only the sky now remembers
the cold weight of the black hunger.

(17)

When the horses come riding
riding through the December fog
dust and mist shall become one
and you shall then see
on her emaciated face
layer after layer
of terrified sunset.

(18)

Black train goes
rushing over the blacker rails
steel on steel
bone with bone
fire from fire
madness in madness
and after the train is gone
the rail tracks remain
as lonely
as speechless
as ever.