And then comes the winter
And then comes the winter suddenly, fiercely
Leaving the forest shrouded in snow and silence.
The dark night sky is so deep and translucent
That you can see through a million years ago.
Tonight a thousand stars have disappeared
Forever engulfed by the abyss of time
Like old friends, you shall never see again
The heart grieves their absence, now everlasting.
Many years ago there were so many warm summers
And before that, bursting blossoms of endless springs
The meadows in autumn were wild and free
The breath of gentle winds caressed our long days.
Somewhere some bird sat and sang a sad song
I can still hear her, though I know not what she sings.
Her tears are like those stars that have vanished
Her song is like the mystery of our ephemeral lives.
Whoever understands this beauty will weep
And whoever weeps shall wander in joy
Through the falling snows of winter
Through the dark forests of the world
All across the weary frost laden landscape
Where Death stalks the traveler with his frigid hands.
And if one morning, I am gone
I shall always remember her song
And depart gracefully, like the bird and the stars.