After Death

The silence of Aaron remained in the air

Even after the last stone

Covered the grave, after the strange fire

Consumed the flesh.

This silence lies in wait behind all the poems,

Behind all the talking, behind the music

That draws tears, the music that can,

The music that can what the silence cannot.

In the twilight of the death of the holy ones

Soon I will light candles to light the worlds

And the scent of apple cake will fill the rooms

And azure sheets fly in the wind from the sea

To the bed and beneath the Sabbath tablecloth

And in the red wine will float the letters of silence

Within the holy words that sanctify the time

Will lie the mound of memory and will pull

The inner glance and the bit of challah

That is brought forth from the earth

Will cover over the great darkness hiding

Beneath all the words.

Translated by Toby Klein Greenwald