The dead in the underworld gossip about the living
        —Jaroslav Seifert


Blessed are those who escaped in one piece
as their bodies belong to themselves
For those who could not escape in one piece

their
bodies
also belong to themselves

Above a deep river
there’s silence

Above a deep river
and under it
there’s silence

The sigh
of algae

The lingering
silence
of algae

Why bother?
they say

Why bother to speak?
they say

Oh, right
one says

Oh, right
one says

There’s the sigh
of “why bother”

There’s the silence
of “oh, right”

June approaches

The sighs
repose

May in silence
year after year

The silence
of being human

My splendor

Your splendor

Their splendor

Histories compete to rhyme
This is just to say

speak up, silence!