Trees felled, rivers overflow
The world is unsafe, magic
spells are mangled

We were already afraid of it
Out of desperation some have
predicted it high to low

We don't hear the master
But we are young, we want to live
if necessary against better judgment

No ruin will remain
We build dams and lodges
who and what's in the way is done for

This is the new reality
Learning is hard, the world as small
and poor as we are ourselves

It burns in the south, the wind
is hungry, its tongues of fire
lick the wood of the earth and
eat themselves to rich countries

while behind our backs in the north
the ice is melting and milliliters of water
are cutting thin slices off our country
and our prosperity, like sharpened steel

Yet I will, yet I want, yet I must
maintain it, if I can, if they let me
these frightened blonde giants here
who count back generations

to the great taciturn man
Father of the Nation and beggar
my example and ancestor
(one percent of my genes)

which means nothing, but
his expensive coat of blue blood
does matter, and the blazing fire
that makes me think of his death

Pete Heyn looks at me thoughtfully
his goatee shows a long tongue

maybe for me
my hindsight knowledge

of his fame, the silver
booty and the ministries

of marine, commerce and colonies
which finance prosperity

with things others believe
they need, we trade them

for trunks full of money and if
it stinks it is washed

at the bank around the corner
Persistent stains are brought

to the Switzerland of Zwingli
and Calvin, this way the world gets better

with marine ropes and canvas
with hemp! with hemp!

the profits will be big
we win the silver fleet!

More computers
more working robots
more non-working people

there is so much reluctance
and creative resistance
against delay repeating

time-consuming tasks
and enough intractability
to care nothing

for the way it simply goes
that's just the way it goes
nowadays how else

could we expect prosperity
what we do not expect
because we simply fear

computers
working robots
non-working people