How is your life with the other one,
simpler, isn't it? One stroke of the oar
then a long coastline, and soon
even the memory of me

will be a floating island
(in the sky, not on the waters):
spirits, spirits, you will be
sisters, and never lovers.

How is your life with an ordinary
woman? without godhead?
Now that your sovereign has
been deposed (and you have stepped down).
How is your life? Are you fussing?
flinching? How do you get up?
The tax of deathless vulgarity
can you cope with it, poor man?

—'Scenes and hysterics I've had
enough! I'll rent my own house.'
How is your life with the other one
now, you that I chose for my own?

More to your taste, more delicious
is it, your food? Don't moan if you sicken.
How is your life with an image
you, who walked on Sinai?

How is your life with a stranger
from this world? Can you (be frank)
love her? Or do you feel shame
like Zeus' reins on your forehead?

How is your life? Are you
healthy? How do you sing?
How do you deal with the pain
of an undying conscience, poor man?

How is your life with a piece of market
stuff, at a steep price.
After Carrara marble,
how is your life with the dust of

plaster now? (God was hewn from
stone, but he is smashed to bits.)
How do you live with one of a
thousand women after Lilith?

Sated with newness, are you?
Now you are grown cold to magic,
how is your life with an
earthly woman, without a sixth

sense? Tell me: are you happy?
Not? In a shallow pit? How is
your life, my love? Is it as
hard as mine with another man?
1924

(another translation of this poem)

AN ATTEMPT AT JEALOUSY

How is your life with another?
Easier? A stroke of oars!
Did all memory so quickly
(Like a coastline's sinking shores)

Fall away from me, an island
Floating (on the sky, not sea!)?
Souls, Souls! You were meant for sisters,
Not lovers... your destiny!

How is your life with a simple
Woman? All divines unknown?
Having overthrown the Empress,
You yourself stepped from the throne.

What's your life like? Do you hurry
Still, with cringing? Who wakes you?
What happens when that eternal
Tax of commonness is due?

'Stop! Enough breakdowns and shudders!
I'll rent a house - and have done.'
Can you live with any person,
Tell me, my selected one!

Tastier and better food? If
You are fed-up, blame none... sigh...
How is your life with a copy,
You who trampled Mount Sinai?

How is your life with a stranger,
One from here? Her rib suits you?
Does not shame whip round your forehead
Like the reins of Zeus? How do

You live? How's your health? What's doing
With you these days? Can you sing?
What happens when that eternal
Conscience (Poor man!) starts to sting?

How's life with goods from a market?
Are the taxes much too high?
After marble from Carrara -
How is your life with the dry

Dust, plaster of Paris? (Chiseled
Block was once a God: our myth
Crashed!) One of the hundred thousands
Is'yours. You, who knew Lilith.

Does the market kind of plaything
Please you? Doffing magic tricks,
How's your life with just a mortal
Woman, withoutthe extra sixth

Sense?
So hold your head. Well, happy?
No. Endless abyss in view.
How is your life, darling? Harder
Or like mine with one not you?

19 November 1924