And What Matter the Whys and the Reasons

Poem by Emile Verhaeren Period 19th century

And what matter the whys and the reasons
And who we were and who we are:
All doubt is dead, in this garden of blossoms
That opens in us and outside us, so far from men.

I do not reason, and do not wish to know
And nothing will trouble what is only mystery
And gentle impulses and involuntary fervor
And tranquil flight toward our forecourts of hope.

I sense you clear, before understanding you as such;
And it is my joy, infinitely,
To feel myself so gently loving
Without asking why your voice calls me.

Let us be simple and good – and may the day
Be tenderness and light served to us,
And let them say that life
Is not made for such a love.

Emile Verhaeren

Translation generated by Poésies 123 with assistance from the deepseek-chat artificial-intelligence model.

Text published on Poésies 123: https://www.poesies123.com/en/poem-and-what-matter-the-whys-and-the-reasons-emile-verhaeren/