Epitaph For Mariana Gryphius

by

Andreas Gryphius


I: born in flight, breathing war's smoke,

encircled with fire and steel, my father's worry,

my mother's pain, was shoved into the light

as my country sank into angry, burning night.

I saw the world, and soon I looked away,

since I encountered all its terrors in just one day.

Although I died young, if you only count days,

count my fears, and I was very old.


(1660)



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