When I get old
I don't want to be
like the old man
I saw today in the city.
An old man should have children
who live in the country,
So that he can pass his time there
In rooms where clocks measure seconds for fun
and people still have sun-dials in their hearts
Where it is quiet.
I think the old man I saw was
on the verge of death.
Still he lay there.
It is frightening to die
in the corner of a noisy street.
So fierce is the rush-hour..
one can listen very carefuly
and still not hear the soul depart.
When I get old
I want to live in a village,
so that I'll see the sun marking time in the sky
and when my soul leaves me, the people on the road
and the farmers in the fields
shall cease working and walking, and look at each other
and ask wonderingly: "Did you hear that noise?"