We live in secret cities

    And we travel unmapped roads.

    We speak words between us that we recognize

    But which cannot be looked up.

    They are our words.

    They come from very far inside our mouths.

    You and I， we are the secret citizens of the city

    Inside us， and inside us

    There go all the cars we have driven

    And seen， there are all the people

    We know and have known¹， there

    Are all the places that are

    But which used to be as well. This is where

    They went. They did not disappear.

    We each take a piece

    Through the eye and through the ear.

    It's loud inside us， in there， and when we speak

    In the outside world

    We have to hope that some of that sound

    Does not come out， that an arm

    Not reach out

    In place of the tongue.