Wednesday 28 April 2010

Sonnet by David Koker (1921-45), a Dutch Jew who died on the way to Dachau


The nature of the world is common ground,
no need for me to state my own position
as there are no philosophers around
to whom such things need constant exposition.

The world’s divided into good and bad
and into objects either live or dead.
To those who’d tell you what God is, just add
He’s been and gone, there’s no more to be said.

This is reality boiled down, complete
enough to make your path in future clear.
Just two more things though, lest I should forget:
If you would go on living, you must eat
and many a man who courts a girl feels fear
before he does so, afterwards regret.

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