The day beasts vanished from the wood

the wood held its breath in silence

The day beasts vanished from the wood

humans kept building their roads

The day fish vanished from the sea

the sea absently undulated and groaned

The day fish vanished from the sea

humans kept building their ports

The day children vanished from town

the town was ever more bustling

The day children vanished from town

humans kept building their parks

The day humans lost their inner selves

they looked very much like each other

The day humans lost their inner selves

humans kept believing in their future

The day small birds vanished from the sky the sky wept silently

The day small birds vanished from the sky humans kept singing unawares.

“The Day Small Birds Vanished from the Sky”

Shuntaro Tanikawa