The Drop of Spring

the last of my Wecksell translations – for the time being

In the spring of dawn
by happy warblings of the larks
there was a-resting on a cloud
a tear brought out in shyness
bathing in the sunlight.

There was triumphant universal joy
which brought the tear some inspiration
filling him with coy desire
and the courage to express a wish:

Give also me some life,
so that I may dare try to live!

An angel’s hand observed the prayer,
touched the cloud and let the tear out
falling down to earth,
where for a while it mirrored
the divine world full of wonders,
heavens full of sparkling gold
and earth all emerald of growth and greenth;

and so fell down and ended up
into the sea, where it was safely hidden.

No one asked you for your name,
and no one saw you here.