Mongol Libation – Victor Segalen, Occidented Stèles

他日再生當
令我得之

It is here that we took him alive. Because he
fought well we offered him service:
he preferred to serve his Prince in death.

We cut his hamstrings: he waved his arms to
attest his zeal. We cut off his arms: he howled
out his devotion for Him.

We slit his mouth from one ear to the other:
He indicated with his eye that he was still
Faithful.

O

Let us not gouge out his eyes as with a coward;
But, severing his head with respect, let us pour the koumiss of the brave with his libation.

When you are reborn, Chen Heshang, do us the honour to be reborn as one of us

South - Ernst Auer

about certain warm evenings
when even the clanging of the keys could be poetry -but of course,
only before I harbour any thoughts of writing it down.

* * * * *
the vulgar sunlight of a tropical noon
the shadowless figures, waiting to cross the road
the scene of numerous passing suns reflected on the piercing windscreens is our horizon,
the clear evil of the bluest sky framed by the immobile vertical panes,
I know the height of the ceiling now.
Our habit of always associating a dog's walk with the dried black poo on the pavement...
that might be a good picture when all paintings are now shit
when we have decided on painting shit ...
for drunk viewers who need a lifthome.

Sleeves of Time – Ernst Auer

I wasn’t satisfied with the length of time

I had it altered to fit just a little better
at the seamstress across the street.

With the sleeves trimmed and tapered
to the cut of my unscheduled coffin.

In the pocket,
the other one without hole,

I left a few shillings of my time

on earth

on land

on asphalt

Auf Achse , without slight delay or long detour.