שטילער
Quieter
Work 34 of 440
Page 42. 'Shtiler' (Quieter) is a death preparation poem from prison: the speaker asks for silence, for a white pillow and clean shirt (echoing Jewish tahara burial preparation), and pure water to refresh his shackled hands — a stark reminder that even in death, he remains a prisoner. The repeated 'ot azoy' (just so) shows quiet acceptance.
שטילער
שטילער, שטילער. ווערט אַנטשוויגן.
איך וועל שטאַרבן, איך גיי אויס.
דעקט מיך צו און לאָזט מיך ליגן,
דעקט מיך צו און גייט אַרויס.
ברענגט מיר נאָר אַ ווײַסן קישן
און אַן אויסגעוואַשן העמד;
רײַנעם וואַסער אָפּצופֿרישן
מײַנע אײַנגעשמידטע הענט.
הייבט אויף העכער מיר דאָס קישן
און דעם קאָפּ אויך, אָט אַזוי —
וועל באַצײַטנס נאָך פֿאַרשליסן
מײַנע אויגן — אָט אַזוי.
Shtiler
Shtiler, shtiler. Vert antshvign.
Ikh vel shtarbn, ikh gey oys.
Dekt mikh tsu un lozt mikh lign,
dekt mikh tsu un geyt aroys.
Brengt mir nor a vaysn kishn
un an oysgevashn hemd;
raynem vaser optsufrishn
mayne ayngeshmidte hent.
Heybt oyf hekher mir dos kishn
un dem kop oykh, ot azoy —
vel batsaytns nokh farslisn
mayne oygn — ot azoy.
Quieter
Quieter, quieter. Fall silent.
I will die, I am passing away.
Cover me and let me lie,
cover me and go away.
Bring me only a white pillow
and a clean-washed shirt;
pure water to refresh
my shackled hands.
Raise the pillow higher for me
and my head too, just so —
I will in time yet close
my eyes — just so.
Page 42. 'Shtiler' (Quieter) is a death preparation poem from prison: the speaker asks for silence, for a white pillow and clean shirt (echoing Jewish tahara burial preparation), and pure water to refresh his shackled hands — a stark reminder that even in death, he remains a prisoner. The repeated 'ot azoy' (just so) shows quiet acceptance.
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