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Love at First Sight
2 i8 a; q7 T$ ?' K% y0 O R7 z* bby Wislawa Szymborska
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They both thought
8 [! H; m; ]) }that a sudden feeling had united them
1 P9 ^- O. Y. B% p8 U' k, ?This certainty is beautiful,) P/ b7 Q5 F" z& P
Even more beautiful than uncertainty.
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6 E# x/ s& r! y' P3 W7 F# p M' v4 ?They thought they didn't know each other,- m4 y4 O- z0 l* O. ~$ c3 u3 n
nothing had ever happened between them,2 v. u1 l2 `4 S( }
These streets, these stairs, this corridors,
; i) n3 {5 d% G5 Q9 FWhere they could have met so long ago?
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I would like to ask them,
/ A% x; D$ @( L9 s' }' I5 t8 Aif they can remember -& \& [$ s+ Q, f2 s. Y5 E8 D1 X
perhaps in a revolving door% p( R" X/ q' }; h: m$ J
face to face one day?, T, ~! U/ W7 x; G; S6 }& {
A "sorry" in the crowd?
! |2 a* z3 T; A+ s"Wrong number" on the 'phone?' W# `5 r5 A# b9 R% |+ G
- but I know the answer.
& w, s5 [4 F+ X: _ ] sNo, they don't remember.
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, [% b, y) J+ r4 t. t6 @" sHow surprised they would be
6 T5 S# |& O3 j9 m* i' ^For such a long time already" E4 l/ O8 p+ l
Fate has been playing with them.7 T( W9 c. I% a% @
8 V( U* E# X7 } O9 m0 ?* \% P1 j! ANot quite yet ready1 u( V1 Q5 S& e/ I' g( e' \0 I
to change into destiny," p' ?" O o9 v# N1 {0 s1 n# V
which brings them nearer and yet further,& i0 l0 @; @1 U: @8 ]5 u0 B: G
cutting their path- y" L( n( K+ Y
and stifling a laugh,
- O5 J& Z* u+ aescaping ever further;
1 Y+ l7 T9 p+ L$ [# n4 YThere were sings, indications,
4 Z+ {; J2 j1 l* Gundecipherable, what does in matter.
9 M7 ^9 T" j3 O9 p! uThree years ago, perhaps( u$ h5 }% w7 o. b( F
or even last Tuesday,
- t8 M8 b, Z7 M, y2 w: j/ f' g& Dthis leaf flying; J0 \5 o* V) t% C7 q8 E
from one shoulder to another?! M H2 ~. L1 N) G( f
Something lost and gathered.
" O* Z% n+ a+ b( E# q. rWho knows, perhaps a ball already
: u& O( z2 q, @. Yin the bushes, in childhood?
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There were handles, door bells,# ]' l; J( b8 G; U2 Z! e. G
where, on the trace of a hand,! x: Q5 A1 O5 k. A
another hand was placed;1 ]& a" p' l5 T* i7 H/ A5 b
suitcases next to one another in the
9 h4 k1 ]. o1 Y8 y, Ileft luggage.
/ E. E0 d% U* C VAnd maybe one night the same dream6 x6 @ a' y+ Y4 a
forgotten on walking;7 b' _2 {' {: M* z5 q( ?+ T
) ?) R1 l/ T+ g1 L, `But every beginning
6 S: v8 X& ^4 O1 o6 pis only a continuation6 I/ F! b- x+ R" ]$ l
and the book of fate is
* y( ]6 \& l$ P' x9 j' aalways open in the middle.
% \2 k* y% x; a& B! e8 eTranslation from Polish by Roman Gren
' m4 _7 L: D1 ZTranslation from French by Sarah Hardenberg |
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