Steine English translation
von Bosse

I dig in the rubble with both hands
My fingers numb, my eyes burning
I build mountains of pain and questions
Let them bury me beneath them

I go with the hammer into rugged rocks
I take no breaks, I have to roll through years
I carve holes into fear, into my conscience
First chunks are from childhood and longing

And then I sit on the bed and eat stones
Yours, mine, big, small
I break my teeth when I crush them
I think, this is the only way to get through

And so I sit on the bed and eat stones
Old, heavy, sharp, fine
Until I’m done with it, leave me alone
I think, this is the only way to get through
Stone by stone
Stone by stone


Then down into the depths, into the dark shaft
Where the candle suffocates and I keep going
Even if the bird down here no longer sings
I’ll bring tons of rubble up

And then I huddle in the rubble, digging with both hands
What if my hands suddenly found yours?
What if my hands suddenly found yours?
What if we found each other among the stones?

And then I sit on the bed and eat stones
Yours, mine, big, small
I break my teeth when I crush them
I think, this is the only way to get through

And so I sit on the bed and eat stones
Old, heavy, sharp, fine
Until I’m done with it, leave me alone
I think, this is the only way to get through
Stone by stone
Stone by stone

And someday
Under the last stones
A first gleam
A first shine
Of new life, new light


And then I sit on the bed and eat stones
Yours, mine, big, small
I break my teeth when I crush them
I think, this is the only way to get through

And so I sit on the bed and eat stones
Old, heavy, sharp, fine
Until I’m done with it, leave me alone
I think, this is the only way to get through
Stone by stone
Stone by stone
Stone by stone
Stone by stone