WALNUT TREE

While the walnut tree was splitting,
I wished you had been by my side.

While the leaves fell one on top of the others
and piled up on the ground,
while the rain fell insistently
and soaked my grandfather's hair
and my mother's bones,
while my sister weeped inside the house
and everything creaked and it was cold.

While you were not there
and things happened quickly,
I slowly thought about all the people
who, in the shade of the tree,
had once fallen asleep.

While I had no other choice,
I thought sadly about all the people
who, like me,
had found a gap between the leaves,
a blue chink,
and had looked at you.