If Evil
Has carefully stolen you
From the World
If Evil
Has gripped your heart
And will never let go
If Evil
Has imprisoned you
In deepest Hell
If Evil
Holds you mockingly in its arms
Whispering its savage terms
If Evil
Has ripped you
From your past
If Evil
Presses
And will not pass
If Evil
Has incinerated
All hope
Know this
O Prisoner
I hear you
I see you
I bleed each of your days
With you
O Man
O Enchained
Let my verse
Help lift you
Let my verse
Caress
And be a friend
When all have turned
When all have burned
All human bonds
Know
That I know you
That I live in your heart
That I grew first long ago
In your special banishment
I know where you are
I know your torturer
I know your pain
I know
I know
And if
Many years hence
You are reading these
Words
And I am long dead
Know this:
I give my love to you
I give my strength
O Brother!
O Sister!
Reach out and take my hand!
Give me your mouth to kiss!
I stand with you
In your darkest night
I rise with you
And will not part
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Take my soul
This is not the end
You will not give up
You will stride
Like a Phoenix
Through the flames
Of hideous injustice
And although Evil
Shall rise
And conquer the Earth
You will burn
Defiant to the last
Shouting in pain
And in glory:
Here is a Man!
Dan Corjescu teaches at the University of Tübingen’s “Studium Professionale” Program
