MASSES  – Cesar Vallejo

When the battle was over
And the fighter was dead, a man came toward him
And said to him: “Do not die; I love you so!”
But the corpse, how sad! went on dying.

And two came near, and repeated it.
“Do not leave us! Courage! Return to life!”
But the corpse, how sad! went on dying.

Twenty arrive, a hundred, a thousand, five hundred thousand,
Shouting: “So much love, and it can do nothing against death!”
But the corpse, how sad! went on dying.

Millions of persons stood around him,
All with the same request: “Stay here, brother!”
But the corpse, how sad! went on dying.

Then all the men on the earth
Stood around him; the corpse looked at them sadly, deeply moved;
He sat up slowly,
Put his arms around the first man; started to walk.…

Hugo Simberg The Wounded Angel