Manfred Marquardt

Earth

Time and again in your solitude earth seeks you out,
places her hand on you, as a mother would
and softly says: What’s up?

Jump into the Rhein, onto the Istei swell,
run into the Röttler woods!
At the Horn, listen the wind tell tales,
watch as vine-leaves fall.

Stand somewhere about ‘the Blue’ on cliffy edge.
With the hawk you dream afield, afloat like him in turns

Ley in pasture at Schore-meadow, listen, how the witch brays on.
Go-a-mushrooming, fill a crate, soon you feel as if bedevilled. 

Again and again earth seeks you out, to join you in your sorrows.
That’s why –  you, brother man – better let our earth move on!

From: That’s how we fare!, 1979