"At the Nile at night, at the Nile,
where the stars hang down into your mouth
and your dry heart is moist once again,
in the Egyptian night,
where you never have been before, but soon will be,
in order to give the Sphinx your answer.
In the blue night,
as in an eternally open mouth the desert's tongue
seeks your moisture.
If it burns you up,
your exhausted gasp will
will resemble my answer.
Life of my life,
savage mouth
that takes the breath away
and no longer allows a memory,
let me be myself
let me be with you."
Ingeborg Bachmann
