We walk by the sea-shore br holding firmly in our hands br the two ends of an antique dialogue br —do you love me? br —I love you br br br with furrowed eyebrows br I summarize all wisdom br of the two testaments br astrologers prophets br philosophers of the gardens br and cloistered philosophers br br br and it sounds about like this: br —don’t cry br —be brave br —look how everybody br br br you pout your lips and say br —you should be a clergyman br and fed up you walk off br nobody loves moralists br br br what should I say on the shore of br a small dead sea br br br slowly the water fills br the shapes of feet which have vanishedbr br Zbigniew Herbertbr br