Once the case in hand has been redeemed
the situation of the angel's not at all
a thing to envy. That bit of the world
that's just been saved can do without her,
while for the rest the outlook is as bad
as ever. She retires to a corner,
lights up, has a beer, plays patience. It's no good,
what is there for an unemployed angel?
...and can one be an angel, unemployed?
Translated by Bernard Adams