The Alchemy of Sadness

One man lights you with his ardour one decks you in mourning, Nature! What says to the first: 'A Sepulchre!' To the other cries: 'Life and splendour!' Unknown Hermes, who assists, yet intimidates me as well, you make me Midas' equal, the saddest of alchemists: You help me change gold to iron, paradise to hell's kingdom: in the shrouded atmosphere I find a dear corpse, and on the celestial shores, it's there, I build a mighty sepulcher.