A spring poem by Fernando Pessoa

When spring arrives

When spring arrives,
And I by then should happen to be dead,
The flowers will blossom as before
And the trees be no less green than in spring of last year.

Reality has no need of me.

I sense a tremendous joy

At the thought that my death has no significance whatever.

If I knew I would die tomorrow

And that spring would be there the day after,

I would die content, since it was spring the following day.

If it was time for it, for when else would it come than when it was time?

I relish the fact that all is real and all as it must be;

And relish the fact it would also be so even if I did not relish it.

For all is real and all is as it must be.

Let prayers be said in Latin over my coffin, if so desired.

If so desired, let there be dancing and singing around it.

I have no preferences for when I no longer can have any preferences.

Whatever will be, when it shall be, will be what it is.