 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
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Love at First Sight
4 q; m7 n$ B) \" U7 Qby Wislawa Szymborska
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They both thought
8 y) @6 R/ K+ Z! g0 Lthat a sudden feeling had united them3 e* j: \. v, n: e
This certainty is beautiful,
3 ]6 g8 A, `+ gEven more beautiful than uncertainty. p0 ?* ]7 U+ [2 Z. k
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They thought they didn't know each other,, E- r1 o4 s' I6 g2 g$ _ ^& N6 T4 Q: ~
nothing had ever happened between them,9 z- d6 a$ B+ w
These streets, these stairs, this corridors,& ^0 `/ R4 {$ B; d
Where they could have met so long ago?
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5 L9 q* l; `5 z m, EI would like to ask them,
$ P: A$ }, F+ U9 v- W4 V' oif they can remember -
, f/ \+ }# x( Q; }" {/ iperhaps in a revolving door
6 ~. r+ l$ W7 T4 t: }4 o7 u: W% m. `face to face one day?
2 X( F; `1 ^! i( P u( B7 RA "sorry" in the crowd?3 y& k Y* _# A; j% a! m1 s
"Wrong number" on the 'phone?
3 ~: Z6 \2 u0 u' V$ b- but I know the answer.
8 b+ ^2 a+ b+ ~No, they don't remember./ P+ z- P7 m- W1 j8 T
& \3 @0 V1 M4 _. k7 b: D; H$ THow surprised they would be, C5 a1 P6 P$ ?7 Z
For such a long time already
1 T! Z" a% ^# g6 k3 V# mFate has been playing with them.
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" n4 }% a6 j: L. \4 LNot quite yet ready$ d7 I: P* m9 M* \9 V; s9 e9 l
to change into destiny,
9 Y1 R7 {8 v8 R; t4 e! Xwhich brings them nearer and yet further,- c" p0 g* p* ^
cutting their path; M0 l; k# H% H" n/ ~
and stifling a laugh,+ o5 Q' r6 d" A
escaping ever further;
7 l% _6 [) b1 EThere were sings, indications,1 }; _" Y% _/ f
undecipherable, what does in matter.
! G- {1 E: \0 `5 d) s; V$ ZThree years ago, perhaps0 T' P: ?% u) v" T
or even last Tuesday,1 J; Z* }4 y1 H- n
this leaf flying6 `& L. d' X* o) z# k$ k) ?: z$ Z
from one shoulder to another?/ j, E: i9 ^7 f; Y4 N& g/ p3 x, M
Something lost and gathered.0 Y* H1 Q- I5 f, Q
Who knows, perhaps a ball already
) t4 N( y% G* l7 e0 Z7 h d* Yin the bushes, in childhood?0 _/ h: t1 N: F+ f' s% d
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There were handles, door bells,8 r0 y4 `. J: x
where, on the trace of a hand,! \, {1 k/ a8 X9 f8 Q( h
another hand was placed;
( }' l! g( a- B3 B% S9 v, ksuitcases next to one another in the
4 t0 j$ D. Q5 ~0 I; }6 V7 G) Aleft luggage.
9 j/ S" g1 H8 t4 G2 E$ y1 yAnd maybe one night the same dream! p( `% ~3 b4 C. k, o8 y
forgotten on walking;* `; R. V( D# a8 c$ R) l: S/ I2 K
. { ]3 ?7 Z w% ~% Z5 H0 J( lBut every beginning4 s8 `- O0 ~; N/ L! k, _
is only a continuation
; u0 V8 g% C2 j0 ]and the book of fate is9 K0 p; J, f! H! b! w
always open in the middle.
8 y' M( Z$ ?: O7 p/ s: ?Translation from Polish by Roman Gren
: _: t- Q& _: j5 z; h+ x8 w8 oTranslation from French by Sarah Hardenberg |
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