When I was dreaming
a woman came to me.
She was holding a garden
in her hand.
That it was for sale
she whispered.
I paid a price.
The price was my waking.
She went with my sleep.
Just a memory
remained from my slumber
and its world.
Als ich träumte
kam eine Frau zu mir.
Sie hielt einen Garten
in ihrer Hand.
Dass er zu kaufen wäre
flüsterte sie.
Ich zahlte einen Preis.
Der Preis war mein Erwachen.
Sie ging mit meinem Schlaf.
Nur eine Erinnerung
blieb mir vom Schlummer
und seiner Welt.
As ik drööm
kööm en Fru to mi.
Se holt en Goorn
in ehr Hand.
Dat he to köpen weer
wisperde se.
Ik betahlde en Pries.
De Pries weer mien Opwaken.
Se gung mit mien Slaap.
Blot en Beholen
bleev mi vun' Slummer
un sien Welt
Agus mé ag taibhreamh
tháinig bean chugam.
Bhí gairdín aici
ina lámh.
Ar díol a bhí sé
ar sise i gcogar
D'íocas as.
An praghas ná gur dhúisíos.
D'imigh sí i dteannta mo shuainse.
Níor fhan dem chodladhsa
is den domhan sin
ach cuimhne
Leander Sukov is a writer from Hamburg who writes in German and Low German. His work is consistently politically characterised by the goal of a humane, exploitation-free world. Even in his love poems, the reflection of the world is always present. Sukov was vice-president of the German PEN Centre from 2019 to 2021, he is the secretary general of the Louise Aston Society* and the president of the Low German-Frisian PEN Centre (aspiring), which was founded in autumn 2023. In addition to works of fiction, he also writes theatre and literary reviews. He is a member of the federal executive committee of the Writers' Union (VS in ver.di) and is an active trade unionist.