so get me out of Babylon!
lead me through this ruined town
where people scream, lie lame like me
spitting on your gown
they snatched at me, they whispered loud
"split your tongue so you'll have two!"
i did and now i cannot but
to cry help out to you
help out to you who read me today
help out to you who put my heart down
help out to you who sighed without hurt
that in the beginning was the word
when you saw me burning down
you taught me to be modest ashes
you scattered me into the wind
then taught me to the flashes
my tongue you took to make it one
and from my lips you washed the dirt
you cut away the sore and sang
"a word is a word is a word"
welcome to you who read me today
welcome to you who put my heart down
welcome to you, teacher and slave,
who kept me in verses so silently save
when you went you kissed my tongue
"don't get lost in the phrase" you said
you left me, you left me at peace with the word
and i'd like to thank you for that
so thank you to thee who read my today
thank you to thee who put my heart down
thank you to thee, darling and friend,
who miss me forever in you trip to the end.
(for S.V.)
Philipp Hofmann