Like the back of a picture

Anton's Prayer book in Croatian that traveled across the sea to America and then back to Croatia / Published in 1902 

Certain words now in our knowledge we will not use again, and we will never forget them. We need them. Like the back of the picture. Like our marrow, and the color in our veins. We shine the lantern of our sleep on them, to make sure, and there they are, trembling already for the day of witness. They will be buried with us, and rise with the rest.

~ Language by W.S. Merwin