The Midnightmouse
It midnights; not a moon is out.
No star lives in the heavenhouse
Runs twelve times through the heavenhouse
The Midnightmouse
She pipes upon her little jaws.
The hellhorse from his nightmare roars…
Runs quietly, her allotted course,
The Midnightmouse
Her Lord, the Spirit great and white,
Has gone abroad on such a night.
She keeps watch in his heaven; all’s right.
The Midnightmouse
by Christian Morgenstern (1871-1914)
translated by W.D. Snodgrass and Lore Segal