the River of forgetfulness

“A cemetery surrounds the lake,

the graves can be clearly discerned,

the earth opens up above the graves,

and for a moment the dead daughters stand with blowing hair,

their faces remain indistinct,

their hair falls down below their hands, each woman is raising her right hand,

which can be easily seen in the white light,

they spread their waxen fingers,

the rings are missing, the ring fingers are missing on every hand.”

~I. Bachmann