The murderer smiles palely in wine,
Death's horror grips the sick.
Excoriated and naked, the nun prays
Before the Savior's agony on the cross.

The mother sings quietly in sleep.
Peacefully the child looks into the night
With eyes that are completely truthful.
In the whorehouse laughter rings.

By candlelight down in the cellar hole
The dead one paints with white hand
A grinning silence on the wall.
The sleeper whispers still. (Georg Trakl)

The murderer smiles palely in wine, Death's horror grips the sick. Excoriated and naked, the nun prays Before the Savior's agony on the cross. The mother sings quietly in sleep. Peacefully the child looks into the night With eyes that are completely truthful. In the whorehouse laughter rings. By candlelight down in the cellar hole The dead one paints with white hand A grinning silence on the wall. The sleeper whispers still.

Georg Trakl

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agony child cross dead grinning hand hole horror laughter mother night sick silence sleep wall white wine whorehouse looks smiles eyes

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