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Love at First Sight6 m# A5 s7 ^* V$ P. _6 C* u
by Wislawa Szymborska
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9 D' I+ I7 p) c" gThey both thought
1 x$ c5 V! T, J" \that a sudden feeling had united them! G' j7 \/ }8 Q f
This certainty is beautiful,
: W' O0 a: s# fEven more beautiful than uncertainty.% T( ^3 E: U) }
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They thought they didn't know each other,0 Q! n: z1 X/ l9 p+ ]2 R
nothing had ever happened between them,
8 p5 a/ C6 y3 o* w% }8 G4 GThese streets, these stairs, this corridors,1 D' `. i' U& ?2 Q2 H" o _
Where they could have met so long ago?7 n1 B$ B' d- r1 z1 u6 W
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I would like to ask them,
- ], V& a7 ~( x+ R4 Y1 vif they can remember -
4 ?$ L! E: a2 V* `& Dperhaps in a revolving door% F1 K2 e8 s$ T! s0 K5 w% A% }) b
face to face one day? Z$ z+ T( \6 m4 c# s0 D8 c W# Y
A "sorry" in the crowd?
% L! T! n" U2 X! U% T5 Y"Wrong number" on the 'phone?
8 J- i" ~$ M m$ }8 F. w5 o- but I know the answer.
: ~- @4 W9 r h/ ZNo, they don't remember.
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How surprised they would be
/ E" c, I; j0 m8 u9 P; g# tFor such a long time already
/ J/ l# e0 u; W0 q2 PFate has been playing with them.
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3 X6 v; G. L$ ?% s/ j( XNot quite yet ready
2 F' [! A9 H6 n* ]1 y1 f% s+ bto change into destiny,- O2 _% e* ?) G3 X. n
which brings them nearer and yet further,$ O- @) j2 N% v2 B6 k
cutting their path9 H$ h v5 g! z! x* ]
and stifling a laugh,, O, Q# h: b4 `) y O
escaping ever further;
; J S, p% L0 B1 SThere were sings, indications,, N6 c$ J8 I3 x# [' r) b
undecipherable, what does in matter.
" L4 y& U/ I3 I6 JThree years ago, perhaps2 C( ]% w+ B1 j( Y
or even last Tuesday,
0 B3 g d( a" S' k& b. N2 N8 ~this leaf flying
2 D- g/ K, c- L8 ]# Lfrom one shoulder to another?8 t: n: M+ X) N9 G
Something lost and gathered.0 r m8 I) d8 s+ }7 o5 x; v
Who knows, perhaps a ball already
8 Y- i3 ~+ J7 z( iin the bushes, in childhood?5 o* G' t$ @7 e8 R" r" W
+ q+ B7 @4 u9 A5 \8 ]% h; {There were handles, door bells,
$ }0 k1 `8 l; _% K' T) G! Kwhere, on the trace of a hand,
. `; A) G0 S; e+ l# k8 Aanother hand was placed;! |' s# A& Z2 u# Y6 k
suitcases next to one another in the& ~+ u4 G! ]8 r' J1 \5 p
left luggage.% r5 y% K* v: X
And maybe one night the same dream7 D% w2 F" t0 y
forgotten on walking;" H* E+ A; b1 N1 t# D' f
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But every beginning; O" I) ~8 A' [9 K: L7 W" y: Y
is only a continuation
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always open in the middle.
! X& n( K8 D+ O" |1 aTranslation from Polish by Roman Gren
! C; n5 \) V8 S3 f' V- VTranslation from French by Sarah Hardenberg |
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