CHALICE

Juhani Siljo(1888-1918)

Drop by drop

drink the bitter chalice

calmly to the bottom.

Promise, which once

you gave for yourself

- yourself to be -

fill strictly.

To the bitterness of the chalice

don't ask the

smallest mitigation.

New power grows

with every drop

which you calmly drink

of the chalice's contents.

(Kalkki, Runoja[1910].)

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