Medikuak
Lanabes: belarrak
eta penizilina.
Samurki euren lana
bisturiz egina.
Erauzi minbizia,
zauria itxi,
eta azal ezdeusari
otoitz bat josi.
Ez dira jainko,
—nahiko luketen arren—,
gizakiak dira soilik,
beste gizakiak konpontzen.
Masusta samurrak azaroan
taupaka nola,
gizon-emakume asko hiltzen da hala.
Baina medikuek taigabe diote:
batez ere, minik ez.
Musuak sendatuko balu, musu emango lukete.
Ez luke sendatuko.
Sendabidea jartzean,
eguzki berritan daude.
Hilko balute inor,
lurra mozorrotzaile.
Bihotza geratzeaz bainoago
harrokeriaz behar lukete ardura.
Harroegi badira
—gertatu ohi da—,
zaldiz doaz etxetik utikan,
baina Jainkoak ditu
itzularazten oin bitan.
[1975]
Doctors
They work with herbs / and penicillin. / They work with gentleness / and the scalpel. / They dig out the cancer, / close an incision / and say a prayer / to the poverty of the skin. / They are not Gods / though they would like to be; / they are only a human / trying to fix up a human. / Many humans die. / They die like the tender, / palpitating berries / in November. / But all along the doctors remember: / First do no harm. / They would kiss if it would heal. / It would not heal. // If the doctors cure / then the sun sees it. / If the doctors kill / then the earth hides it. / The doctors should fear arrogance / more than cardiac arrest. / If they are too proud, / and some are, / then they leave home on horseback / but God returns them on foot.