Cosmic mirror (by Pinchas Glauber, from Yiddish; transl. ZShB)

On the night of the summer equinox I walked on the beach, my feet sunk in clay up to the ankles, and looked over to where the universe was reflected in the celestial waters.

This is what I saw:

Two and three make zero; others say seven.

The hottest summer sun keeps people in their beds; winter draws everyone to the beach.

Chelm was crowned the capital city, and the sun shines on idleness's path.

The clown mourns at his great-grandmother's funeral. Middle-aged slaves laugh themselves deeper and deeper into melancholy.

Synonym quarrels spitefully with opposite, and Rashi glosses an unwritten verse.

Tragedy falls in love with the lottery, and happiness gets lost in the halls of the nursing home.

Questions run in circles, driven by orphaned answers.

Doves carry computer chips in envelopes to someone on their deathbed just a skip and a jump away.

Babies comfort trembling mothers who cry for unborn fathers.

I saw all of this, standing on the edge with my face to the cosmic mirror.