 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
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Love at First Sight5 ]( b6 j( J* s( p* g' L0 i3 j
by Wislawa Szymborska
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3 W* D4 L: B4 gThey both thought) A* {: z4 ?" Y) A; ?6 L
that a sudden feeling had united them
6 ?3 ^+ {0 ^0 a( h+ J3 HThis certainty is beautiful,2 ~9 y' {9 Y% O
Even more beautiful than uncertainty. h* G3 G9 I& c0 E( L& i
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They thought they didn't know each other,
# M3 l$ t* [6 E$ @nothing had ever happened between them,$ r. ]( Z" [0 _ f7 Q
These streets, these stairs, this corridors,
0 M9 D9 y6 q/ o% t& L! H3 YWhere they could have met so long ago?
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I would like to ask them,
$ m5 o( g) D, r. q( q) E# pif they can remember -
7 F, S$ a6 y$ L7 _7 S8 c4 operhaps in a revolving door/ R/ f/ ]1 p0 s$ D/ r b
face to face one day?. `6 l# w, h! k( u
A "sorry" in the crowd?
1 h) I0 k" e+ h"Wrong number" on the 'phone?: d4 ^* Q1 D+ V/ H8 G
- but I know the answer.
4 V/ x4 m9 `2 a% ?No, they don't remember.0 Q. X: N& c) q$ t
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How surprised they would be% {# ^* K0 C! W3 S9 `, B4 ~4 c
For such a long time already
7 ~- Q. }0 g% k/ ^' i* Q7 YFate has been playing with them.
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Not quite yet ready
' T& U( y( J4 u R5 Bto change into destiny,: y8 ~8 \2 @' x, a# N
which brings them nearer and yet further,3 G2 w/ h' V( u% C l( T; `# n& ~
cutting their path
9 w( F9 y" U- a7 ]; }: o sand stifling a laugh,
0 g% l$ {0 ?; u! Lescaping ever further;+ B2 r A* k1 w" ^5 p5 k+ l3 f
There were sings, indications,2 V. ^/ g; h, m$ C6 }: i
undecipherable, what does in matter.
) t& e- V3 m* V$ }1 S9 oThree years ago, perhaps
; T' ~. H1 E& n' O; ^or even last Tuesday,' \% [/ I/ }3 q# ?6 J1 n2 U% ]' Z
this leaf flying5 Q* \7 r/ H- m8 s, n) r3 m0 w
from one shoulder to another?0 ?' b( t; G0 s0 [& [' n4 h
Something lost and gathered.
( J5 p- p7 E7 |Who knows, perhaps a ball already7 F+ c1 H- E! w0 | J3 R
in the bushes, in childhood?2 n Z! Q5 c N9 W! O
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There were handles, door bells,
6 q' M; l W: Cwhere, on the trace of a hand,% p$ f" F6 H1 [8 n
another hand was placed;
' Z5 t! c5 ?, C+ |( T! ^suitcases next to one another in the6 X$ o2 J; a8 ^0 C
left luggage.
8 v3 ]; ~( E6 B8 C7 F3 mAnd maybe one night the same dream# T8 R$ w) u4 H; \
forgotten on walking;# \) M6 z t- c# J: h4 j$ m$ P
8 x9 F) a- A2 M, K- EBut every beginning; F+ I4 I! Q; `/ m6 j6 A2 k3 n5 v
is only a continuation
/ o# p+ \, Q# s Zand the book of fate is
1 k+ G5 h, I. j; Jalways open in the middle.
$ F2 N d. ?- H) X& ITranslation from Polish by Roman Gren3 b& @- B* E5 A' C- Y
Translation from French by Sarah Hardenberg |
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