in the wordless chamber
they feared death
desperately
thus they clustered to the [bad word] of the earth
craving dispersion
as if to avoid knowing why

in the wordless chamber
they feared life
desperately
thus they proclaimed any given [bad word] and swallowed
as if to justify their fear

he knew that there had been hordes of seers
before him
who set out to cure
though, the sick wished not to part with
their decease
as if it made them feel
alive

in the wordless chamber
he accepted desperation
and the unpredictable manifestations
of hope