Outside, Fate waited there for all its rings;

for every chain-link, Destiny.

(Without that mail, no fate could come to be).

Inside, all these were only things — mere things

he forged, because for him, the crown that he

was hammering — even that — was to the smith

merely some thing, a trembling thing alone,

that, black as fury, he'd been wrestling with,

raising it up to wear a flawless stone.

Each day, his eyes were growing ever-colder

because of what he drank, as cold as ice.

But when at last that dazzling relic-holder

(golden-pure and precious in men's sight)

stood ready for the relic without price —

a small wrist bone that in that rare device

would live from now on, wonderful and white …

then down he went, and stayed down on his knees,

thrown down and sobbing, venturing no more,

until his soul could fall no lower

before the ruby's ease —

a gem that seems to see him; sees,

abruptly asking what he's living for;

looks hard, as if from dynasties.

Das Gold

Denk es wäre nicht: es hätte müssen

endlich in den Bergen sich gebären

und sich niederschlagen in den Flüssen

aus dem Wollen, aus dem Gären

ihres Willens; aus der Zwang-Idee,

daß ein Erz ist über allen Erzen.

Weithin warfen sie aus ihren Herzen

immer wieder Meroë

an den Rand der Lande, in den Äther,

über das Erfahrene hinaus;

und die Söhne brachten manchmal später

das Verheißene der Väter,

abgehärtet und verhehrt, nachhaus;

wo es anwuchs eine Zeit, um dann

fortzugehn von den an ihm Geschwächten,

die es niemals liebgewann.

Nur (so sagt man) in den letzten Nächten

steht es auf und sieht sie an.