315: Mr. Cogito's Soul
"Mr. Cogito's Soul"
Zbigniew Herbert
In the past
we know from history
she would go out from the body
when the heart stopped
with the last breath
she went quietly away
to the blue meadows of heaven
Mr. Cogito's soul
acts differently
during his life she leaves his body
without a word of farewell
for months for years she lives
on different continents
beyond the frontiers
of Mr. Cogito
it is hard to locate her address
she sends no news of herself
avoids contacts
doesn't write letters
no one knows when she will return
perhaps she has left forever
Mr. Cogito struggles to overcome
the base feeling of jealousy
He thinks well of his soul
thinks of her with tenderness
undoubtedly she must live also
in the bodies of others
certainly there are too few souls
for all humanity
Mr. Cogito accepts his fate
he has no other way out
he even attempts to say
--my own soul mine
he thinks of his soul affectionately
he thinks of his soul with tenderness
therefore when she appears
unexpectedly
he doesn't welcome her with the words
--it's good you've come back
he only looks at her from an angle
as she sits before the mirror
combing her hair
tangled and grey
Zbigniew Herbert
In the past
we know from history
she would go out from the body
when the heart stopped
with the last breath
she went quietly away
to the blue meadows of heaven
Mr. Cogito's soul
acts differently
during his life she leaves his body
without a word of farewell
for months for years she lives
on different continents
beyond the frontiers
of Mr. Cogito
it is hard to locate her address
she sends no news of herself
avoids contacts
doesn't write letters
no one knows when she will return
perhaps she has left forever
Mr. Cogito struggles to overcome
the base feeling of jealousy
He thinks well of his soul
thinks of her with tenderness
undoubtedly she must live also
in the bodies of others
certainly there are too few souls
for all humanity
Mr. Cogito accepts his fate
he has no other way out
he even attempts to say
--my own soul mine
he thinks of his soul affectionately
he thinks of his soul with tenderness
therefore when she appears
unexpectedly
he doesn't welcome her with the words
--it's good you've come back
he only looks at her from an angle
as she sits before the mirror
combing her hair
tangled and grey