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Love at First Sight! x* t" E. @6 Q9 g) N+ ?4 z
by Wislawa Szymborska
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/ g# A3 b- f4 d# NThey both thought
5 _" D% a% u3 y" k1 t& v; \ nthat a sudden feeling had united them/ g- @$ @: C: f$ }7 f
This certainty is beautiful,% u5 T) l8 @0 J5 c. `5 m8 V, V1 Z
Even more beautiful than uncertainty.9 N4 d0 J/ L0 ?4 }( v$ U& \7 c
4 G$ A. H. q/ M: _: aThey thought they didn't know each other,7 Z8 Q5 ^; B* H$ S
nothing had ever happened between them,
/ D1 f% x8 `4 Q& GThese streets, these stairs, this corridors,6 n5 Y- S3 p/ T1 v) w: I
Where they could have met so long ago?
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7 h1 i% a% Y# ~; }0 X3 OI would like to ask them,! S1 j( _$ I4 M! d! @
if they can remember -& {* c+ |% F; W
perhaps in a revolving door! j3 r2 w8 [* _4 |$ Z
face to face one day?8 l6 e4 P1 p4 q3 \1 ^
A "sorry" in the crowd?
- K8 S# D4 r0 ?"Wrong number" on the 'phone?
3 L+ {' ^7 p3 T6 L$ \# C i, R- ^- but I know the answer.+ ~6 L# t, _+ }% O: s8 q W% Y6 P6 S
No, they don't remember.
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- t. S+ G3 X+ RHow surprised they would be
: s, A, d& L, _4 ?6 N, F+ S6 F* ~For such a long time already
( [. D! q0 Q, j- s: L4 gFate has been playing with them.
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( g8 v4 c" @$ [Not quite yet ready
; `6 ^/ {/ Q* d: k' G0 nto change into destiny,8 y. V% y& n& [# w- M: Z7 `
which brings them nearer and yet further,
. D! c+ w+ z( f# j' e! [8 z0 vcutting their path
% [- N* H: d! X* k0 Mand stifling a laugh,
9 V& S1 {3 p- g; \( G% E. ~escaping ever further;) x% H, N4 W' M7 A
There were sings, indications,7 W; N. ~$ L4 \; n0 S( n L; k. Y& t; v. r
undecipherable, what does in matter.
+ R, ?- l$ N, Q. u4 O3 SThree years ago, perhaps' `' S( T* F- s: V; {) m: S
or even last Tuesday,1 l( R7 K# `+ W5 O* p' i; z
this leaf flying4 a0 T8 s% d- f7 `9 V* Q2 `1 e5 f
from one shoulder to another?
! |7 Z, N% p" w+ U4 T% ?* pSomething lost and gathered.
! k1 D! v Y% g5 p+ u' S4 _+ BWho knows, perhaps a ball already
1 ?; k$ p' h' N) l9 R o7 D3 din the bushes, in childhood?
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There were handles, door bells,
4 ]$ c9 J4 }4 w8 J- S: e! Iwhere, on the trace of a hand,
% L( W1 g* q3 ]6 uanother hand was placed;7 T' @4 _. w7 ~- n+ v d" F
suitcases next to one another in the
% v' x* N# r9 u0 n. mleft luggage." L. i" k8 g U$ j! M
And maybe one night the same dream1 }' X2 |; S9 z% |
forgotten on walking;2 j. F. t; A+ ]" X0 A% N
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But every beginning
/ w* _& n+ K2 x' z1 tis only a continuation
- y9 H; m$ J" z% uand the book of fate is* m5 v4 P2 K5 t/ H$ x
always open in the middle.
+ m! E' v, z* m9 I I( Z2 G% WTranslation from Polish by Roman Gren7 F! g q0 Q, u" C: }& K4 \
Translation from French by Sarah Hardenberg |
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