Eye examination

Yehuda Amichai

Go back a bit. Close your left eye.

Still?

Go back a bit further. The wall has moved on.

What do you see?

What do you recognize in the dimness?

I remember a lovely song that went...

Now? What do you see now?

Still?–All the time.

Don't leave me. Please. Please.

You're not leaving.

I'm not.

Close one eye. Speak in a loud voice.

I can't hear—I'm already far away.

What do you recognize? What do you see?

Close one sad eye.

Yes.

Close the other sad eye. Yes.

I can see now.

And nothing else.