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Love at First Sight
* R* H" l- N5 tby Wislawa Szymborska
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They both thought
2 |* ?0 m& ~ V0 C) z) cthat a sudden feeling had united them# E0 [5 N8 V" V `/ g
This certainty is beautiful,- e: L- |# ^! m7 E& A+ p( D
Even more beautiful than uncertainty.: L( L' |: x$ v
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They thought they didn't know each other,
, j7 Z K% ?& p- k8 p/ inothing had ever happened between them,
) |, p; v% s8 `5 K. e( e+ F7 n! \* UThese streets, these stairs, this corridors, s/ V6 ~: S3 h& N, K; o1 s; j
Where they could have met so long ago?
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I would like to ask them,
9 I) r' _0 E( s4 w) V6 ^' z. q8 e" Wif they can remember -
. [% c- h- z* i& _, p7 e2 Bperhaps in a revolving door$ c2 b9 S9 k: j/ s
face to face one day?: M- X. m( N* p" C* {
A "sorry" in the crowd?
( ~/ R- K# h! v7 [' Y+ Z"Wrong number" on the 'phone?* N% ]3 ^$ Y1 a1 Q* f
- but I know the answer.
( T/ `3 O0 A: d. F; UNo, they don't remember.
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How surprised they would be' y: ]) g+ h3 ?/ }
For such a long time already/ u; ]6 N2 K6 t, t9 L! i
Fate has been playing with them.7 a) z+ Y% T m& ]5 Y) e
0 y9 r' r& z. S. Q# _" MNot quite yet ready; a% Y% l. k/ I, N" }; c0 D% ?
to change into destiny,+ ]5 Z. x. Z! O8 W/ s3 [
which brings them nearer and yet further,4 k- |0 Z& g, B" Z0 _+ k$ X% Y
cutting their path
6 o+ a: [- n9 \8 x4 A; Vand stifling a laugh,0 u" @1 H7 Y f+ F9 H/ W1 a
escaping ever further;
^+ L8 x8 [" D- I! V" ZThere were sings, indications,# |0 \1 N3 b* e4 X2 a
undecipherable, what does in matter.
1 b( t0 z5 f: J' _! j+ ZThree years ago, perhaps; d! A) Y4 c' A- u0 R
or even last Tuesday,
; `. q& z; `8 e& I cthis leaf flying
9 C0 j4 `# l! F8 j) V1 wfrom one shoulder to another?2 ^; z* m7 k9 e4 y
Something lost and gathered." m, U4 a) ^: ?; e* `4 T
Who knows, perhaps a ball already
2 g( u3 a. K& H- Fin the bushes, in childhood?# |$ [- e5 _& G. Z/ e& G
/ k, z/ G) A, o$ F# i T- {; EThere were handles, door bells,! B$ p$ V% Y( B
where, on the trace of a hand,
, |/ X4 M- g5 v1 E* f, |another hand was placed;0 F D# X* N0 q3 G! B+ s
suitcases next to one another in the
! t/ c) G& H2 s: Kleft luggage.5 O O2 W- o1 B: ^1 b' B
And maybe one night the same dream
8 v6 Z0 D3 f( Rforgotten on walking;% |3 E. X+ w& M1 c8 k
9 n& F; H- ?5 ABut every beginning
5 k* o1 k: n! W) \is only a continuation
W% {* w1 k6 \9 P' W5 _and the book of fate is* z& b# p. H# ^( n/ N: j$ V9 A. v
always open in the middle.% y/ n$ c% F5 r* a
Translation from Polish by Roman Gren$ c$ n" S; s* [+ Y
Translation from French by Sarah Hardenberg |
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