The fig tree passed by my sitting place.

Offered me fig tree thoughts:

"Count my leaves your days!"

The fig tree passed by my sitting place.

Offered me fig tree comfort:

"Take your small hands in your hands!"

The fig tree passed by my sitting place.

Offered me fig tree fruits:

"Fill your homesickness for the unknown!"

                                                           IVAR

A long time ago,

before human beings and animals were created,

starvation came by the world.

It found it empty, and starved.

The starvation starved all over the world

from south by north and to the end of the world.

A long time ago,

before emptiness and starvation were created,

sorrow came by the world.

It found it deserted, and sorrowed.

The sorrow sorrowed all over the world

from south by north and to the end of the world.

A long time ago,

before starvation and sorrow were created,

hope came by the world.

It found it likely, and hoped.

The hope hoped human beings and animals

from south by north and to the end of the world.

                                                                  IVAR

The sun went for a walk in the mountains.

It wanted to find a belly to warm.

It found a little goat and warmed it.

The King went to war with all his army.

He wanted to find someone to defeat.

He found a little snake and beat it.

All God's angels went out

to sing this song to somebody.

And now we are singing it to you.

                                                           IVAR

Early this morning I was shocked,

my arrow hit the sun in a scream of light.

Early this morning I was shocked,

a spark flew right through me.

Early this morning I was shocked,

a new world had suddenly been made.

                                                          IVAR

Spare the little bird,

it is the day after tomorrow.

Don't step on the line in the sand,

it is the way to Morogoro.

A child put a seed into the ground,

it is the shade we are sitting in.

                                              IVAR

The little disciple wrote something on a tiny hulled grain.

I can't see it. You can't see it. We can't see it.

The little disciple wrote something on the great firmament.

I can't see it. You can't see it. We can't see it.

The little disciple lives in a place inside us.

I can't see it. You can't see it. We can't see it.

                                                                                 IVAR

Flocks of whispering lilies.

Stalactite caves and glossy stones.

The tree of knowledge bathes in lakes of forgotten words.

Clay towers supported by the sky.

Heavy steps and rusty hinges.

Unknown beaks break through perpetual shell.

Rainbow light over burned bones.

Giant loaves and long shadows.

Lava shouting with joy is grasped by moist infant hands.

                                                                                 IVAR

By day I see everything, and nobody knows where I am.

At night I am blind, and my enemies await me.

I am two birds.

By day I am blue, and throw myself into the sea.

At night I am red, and sucked down into the ground.

I am two rivers.

By day I am full, and play with my children.

At night I am cold, and hear strange noises.

I am two brothers.

                                                                                IVAR

There are a thousand olive trees in my heart.

I don’t know how or why.

I don’t know why or how.

I just know, they are olive trees.

There are a thousand children in small bottles.

I don’t know how or why.

I don’t know why or how. 

I just know, I am one of them.

There are a thousand years up to the next sky.

I don’t know how or why.

I don’t know why or how. 

I just know, we shall meet there.

                                                                                                                                         IVAR

A little boy asked the Lake:

Dear Lake, am I really as ugly as they say?

Yes, said the Lake, you are ugly and dirty.

A woman asked the Moon:

Dear Moon, shall I make love tonight?

Yes, said the Moon, you shall love me.

The Lake and the Moon

met every night,

but they never asked each other about anything.

                                                                IVAR

I searched for punishment,

you gave me forgiveness.

I opened the forgiveness,

and you were there.

I searched for love,

you gave me pain.

I opened the pain,

and you were there.

I searched for death,

you gave me life.

I opened the life,

and you were there.

                              IVAR

There is a colour which has no name.

It is in your eyes and in the snow of Kilimanjaro.

There is a city which has no place.

It is in your hands and in the embers of the fire.

There is a lake which has no bottom.

It is in your heart and in the night above us.

                                                             IVAR

I am a train.

My head is a locomotive,

legs and arms are coaches.

Shame departs, pride arrives.

I have found myself.

I am a shadow.

At first I consumed all my hope,

then I ate my name and mind.

I have found myself.

I am a riddle.

Great and small, warm and cold, here and there.

Who am I?

                                                                                                                                  IVAR

Moon letters from distant planets.

Ticking stones and invisible light.

Restless comets.

Drifting smoke and hyena's cough.

Wet tracks in high grass.

Stormy hearts.

Blurred photos and dilatory clocks.

Humming sweetness and rankling doubt.

Long kisses.

                                                       IVAR

We peasants ask permission to speak.

Orphans here are very bad.

Roads are not particularly helpful.

We poachers ask permission to speak.

Roads here are very bad.

Orphans are not particularly helpful.

We orphans ask permission to speak.

Poachers here are very good.

Peasants are not particularly hateful.

                                                 IVAR

I am dreaming I'm a butterfly

searching for rare flowers.

I am dreaming the Earth has disappeared

I touch down in the hand of my own.

I am dreaming the dream is reality.

I am dreaming I'm me.

                                                          IVAR

Clouds of mosquitoes above the lake,

and there - a slow ibis.

Peaceful crocodiles.

Above us red vines,

and there - a growing sound.

Tacit monkeys.

Scents of cactus and ginger,

and there - a dyed cloth.

Empty huts.

                                                    IVAR

Fancy that!

A black man told me to do everything right right,

and to do everything wrong wrong.

Fancy that!

A white man told me to do everything wrong right,

and to do everything right wrong.

Fancy that!

I am blue, my wife is yellow, and all our children are green.

Isn't that right?

                                                                                      IVAR

Wind stop! Hope gather!

I - ready to fly.

Wind start! Love divide!

I - free as air.

Wind choose! Faith steer!

I - a dot in the sky.

                                IVAR

Locusts cover the ground.

From the sky clouds of grass are falling.

Ranks of white birds walk with outspread wings.

The day is born in the sky.

Happy voices are flying with the wind.

Fishermen of the night carry heavy baskets and screened lanterns.

Hearts oppressed with grief.

From the sky clouds of rain are falling.

Ranks of white birds walk with outspread wings.

                                                                                                                                                      IVAR

I walked on a bridge of light,

and found a garden just like mine.

I walked on a bridge of silence,

and found a bird song just like mine.

I walked on a bridge of pain,

and found a wound just like mine.

                                                IVAR

Half bees swarmed in my head,

half worms gnawed inside my body.

Half a devil half away wished me half dead.

Half cities flew off,

half mountains moved up.

Half the world was halfway bound for half the doomsday.

We understood in half the half-truth,

we half clung to half the redemption.

We half people were half unhappy and halfway without hope.

                                                                                       IVAR

I went up to the mirror.

I went through the mirror.

I did not come back.

We hugged each other.

We became each other.

We did not become us again.

Life stops the human being.

Life asks the human being.

The answer goes away,

and will not come back.

                                   IVAR

You feed the birds,

but you don't teach them to fly.

You give birth to your children,

but you don't know where they go.

You smile at me,

and far away the savanna moves on.

                                               IVAR

All grapes carry a secret.

They all stem from the same old vine.

All lies know each other.

They all spring from the same large hourglass.

If we knew who we are,

we might not be here.

                                                               IVAR

Like a dark bird above expanses of snow,

death was searching for prey.

"Where are you? Where is the bold rabbit?

Come out and wave the golden scut of yours!"

But there were no rabbits, only snow.

And there was no dark bird, only rabbits.

                                                               IVAR

The fish asked the intendant:

“Is the water for swimming only,

or is it allowed to drink it as well?”

The fisherman kindly answered:

“You may swim everywhere,

you may eat everything,

and you may drink all the water.”

Oh deary sunny Sunday!

My muddy moat!

He really believed I was a fish.

                                              IVAR

I am thinking of those many little ones

under the big wheel of time.

Maybe we could elevate that wheel?

I am thinking of those many flying angels

in front of heavy jet engines.

Maybe we could mount some filters?

I am thinking of those many sad people

standing on long moving staircases.

Maybe we could turn off the music?

                                                         IVAR

Nobody went into a huge house full of people.

Go, the people said, and pointed to an overwhelming book.

Nobody went into an overwhelming book full of stories.

Go, the stories said, and pointed to a tiny door.

Nobody went right up to a tiny door which nobody could pass.

Nobody opened the tiny door and disappeared for ever.

                                                                                                                                                                                                IVAR

Suddenly it is there.

The open space which turns everything to nothing,

surrounded by outstretched hands.

Suddenly it is there.

The feeling of not being.

Where am I?

Suddenly it is there.

The path under my foot.

Feet do not forget each other.

                                                                      IVAR

I trust in the flowers, they are tacit.

I am sitting by an open bromelia

which is slowly filled with water.

I am afraid of the nights, they are empty.

An endless crassula is growing by my bed

while I slowly disappear.

I believe in the resurrection, it is miraculous.

An endless morning is growing on my grave

which is slowly filled with emptiness.

                                                             IVAR

I eat bread which has not been baked.

I drink wine which has not been fermented.

I sing songs which nobody hears.

I remember that which has not happened.

I climb mountains that are not born.

I live without breath.

I am the childhood you did not have.

I am the way you did not go.

I am the leap you did not leap.

                                                           IVAR

The sand remembers the walk of the sun

and writes down the thoughts of the wind

- yours too.

The well puts out the fire of the day

and sings the songs of the night

- yours too.

The stars spin the thread of life

and paint the shadows of death

- yours too.

                                                       IVAR

I know of a strange flute.

When you play it,

there is no more sound.

I know of a strange lamp.

When you light it,

there is no more light.

I know of a strange death.

When it dies,

there is no more death.

                              IVAR

Quietly elephants of sorrow go west,

with herds of lonely shadows.

Loop of the horizon nooses quivering endlessness.

Slow flames paw over the dying day,

and swarms of soaring flowers.

Rocks of the night unite in painful embraces.

Elephants of hope greet the light and the water,

and call nameless souls.

Silver springs rise towards open gates.

                                                               IVAR

I am leaving you now, but do not despair.

Continuation always begins where you are.
Yesyou

The world is leaving me now, but I shall not despair.

That world began the same way.
Yesme

Death is leaving us now, but we shall not despair.

Where nothing else can be, life begins.
Yesus

                                                                     IVAR