Zuzanna Ginczanka - INSTEAD OF A ROSY LETTER

 There are too many streets in my not-too-big town
(I count them every morning but I can't find the one).
My little town is too little, not enough streets in it
(Unfortunately not there, the street where we'd meet).

My little town, although little, a thousand streets could contain
Each leading somewhere far, with both sides nicely paved.
Millions of narrow houses along each of those streets,
Each house as full of people as pumpkins full of pips.
Full of your loving could be a different street every day,
The houses for our meeting would organ music play
On a colourful keyboard, each key a different house,
And we would walk along.
Silence would be
In us.

My little town could stand along a single street
A lonely little streetlet as narrow as a stream.
This little narrow streetlet just two houses could have
Like two little bell flowers, each with a smiling face.
We could come out one evening from our houses' doors;
Maybe one happy evening, maybe one happy dawn,
And this could be the meeting, our hearts ringing like bells,
And we would stay together,
Forever
Till our deaths.

Not enough streets in my town, for it is far too small
Too many streets are in it, I'll never count them all.

Translated by W.F.

In English, NON OMNIS MORIAR seems to be the best known poem by Zuzanna Ginczanka, but this is actually very unusual poem for her. She was a very delicate poet, very feminine. I decided to add another poem of her, more typical of her poetry.