Animals

The lion died.
The moons over the forest faded.
The surface was flooded
with mournful tears.

Herons, rats, and hydras
gathered in the raspberry patch,
praying until morning,
chanting hymns.

By morning in the raspberry patch,
everything became unclear:
there’s no one to pray to,
no one to fear.

The elephant started waltzing.
Vermicelli – leeches
began indulging
in women and drunkenness.

With a ruler,
compass, and template,
a frightening scarecrow
was drawn by the lynx.

The animals, astonished,
terrified beyond measure,
fell to their knees
beside the scarecrow.

Everything in the raspberry batch
became clear to the fullest:
there is
someone to pray to,
there is
someone to fear.

– Victor Sosnora (1936-2019)
From In Search of Entertainment (1960-1962)
(translated by and thanks to AD)