Winter lingers on. The sun is doled out 

Winter lingers on. The sun is doled out
with a dropper. Isn't it strange that we,
lords and perhaps inventors of the universe,
to understand a piece of it, must trust
the charlatans and soothsayers mushrooming everywhere?
It seems obvious the Gods
are beginning to tire of their presumptive
children or wards.
Even clearer that, Gods or demigods,
they in turn have quit
their employers, if they ever had any.
But. . .


(Eugenio Montale, Altri Versi,
translated by Jonathan Galassi,
from "The Collected Poems (1920-1954)"
published by Farrar Straus Giroux)