The Crosses
-Juliette Greco (1927-2020)
Born in 1927, peace was never to come in Juliette's childhood. This is what war does:
My God, there are so many crosses on this earth
Iron crosses, wooden crosses, humble familiar crosses
Small silver crosses hanging on chests
Old crosses from convents lost among the ruins
And I, poor me, have my cross in my head
An immense leaden cross as vast as love
I hang the wind on it, I hold back the storm
I prolong the evening on it and hide the day
And I, poor me, have my cross in my head
A word is engraved on it that looks like “suffer”
But this familiar word that my lips repeat
Is so heavy to bear that I think I will die
My God, there are so many on the deep roads
Silent crosses watching over the world
Tall crosses of forgiveness raised toward the gallows
Crosses of madness or deliverance