The Alchemy of Sadness

One man lights you with his ardour
one decks you in mourning, Nature!
What says to the first: 'A Sepulchre!'
To the other cries: 'Life and splendour!'
Unknown Hermes, who assists,
yet intimidates me as well,
you make me Midas' equal,
the saddest of alchemists:
You help me change gold to iron,
paradise to hell's kingdom:
in the shrouded atmosphere
I find a dear corpse, and on
the celestial shores, it's there,
I build a mighty sepulcher.