when the knock comes on the door

what do we take with us?

 

do we carry everything in one thin suitcase?

are we walking are we running?

 

and when we arrive far away, white cedar,

at where we are going,

 

how will we prove we were once

born, linden, in the place that is no more,

 

married there, owned that house,

had these children, died?

 

and if we want to return someday, linden,

to that place that we left,

 

will the authorities

who stamped the papers

 

we no longer have

let us in?