The children fly up the trees
stand on its head the yellow sky,
like a fish to water they take,
like little monkeys they climb
they swing
oh! fatherwarns
finger wags
beware, be careful
always something touching
always two things must touch
foot and hand
hand and foot
no hanging free
(to him they fall to the ground
like leaves, only hard
like twigs
that break underfoot)
beware the demon
who inhabits the dark trees
swallows little children whole
takes little children inside
pulls them into trees
turns them into trees
there they would stay forever
(you want never again to see the sunrise,
the face of your own father?)
Marc Chagall, The Dream (1927)
Composition with Goat •Red•The Butcher•Children in Trees•The Dvina River•In the Night•Passion•The Rooster