Away From The Four Walls Poem by Abraham Sutzkever

Away from the four walls,
Where the traces of my footstep sear,
Vast panoramas of granite
Appear.

Fiery rocks. Abysses deep.
Music flows of melted gold:
— Beloved, your unknown name
Will be told!

I climb upward, climb
Over steps of stone, over gorges in sight,
To the blue gods of genesis
In the height.

My touch, in ecstasy, will melt
The colors — blue and violet —
On the face of a rock I etch
My portrait.

Strides and valor overwhelm me:
My gaze from granite's face.
I descend from rock to the earth,
Enveloped in grace.

White flame — a veil on the mountains,
My step — silver echoes on the planet.
Today I breathed my will
Into granite.