Love at First Sight

sweetspot

Love at First Sight
by Wislawa Szymborska


They both thought
$ o- d- T; x! Y6 Z' N2 N4 gthat a sudden feeling had united them
5 t- a# y, j; V, P: \1 b) ]This certainty is beautiful,
Even more beautiful than uncertainty.

7 }) }6 ~- v. G: BThey thought they didn't know each other,
9 D' m% ~4 p+ F8 }nothing had ever happened between them,
These streets, these stairs, this corridors,
Where they could have met so long ago?

, J- r. e, V0 M# G9 H9 NI would like to ask them,
if they can remember -
% g# W) D) p9 n6 F: L& Gperhaps in a revolving door
  z4 B  \. d6 a' Vface to face one day?
) n: _7 k5 c! n4 c& o+ I) bA "sorry" in the crowd?
"Wrong number" on the 'phone?
- but I know the answer.
No, they don't remember.

How surprised they would be
For such a long time already
+ D8 e* @7 |, D" k  c( @Fate has been playing with them.
/ x+ h( h8 s" ^9 s- j" T2 b, X
9 `3 ?  X) x/ P  [" H" PNot quite yet ready
to change into destiny,
) ^8 u2 L$ \- ?which brings them nearer and yet further,
/ b. t7 X3 j  t% V( M# p" _  W1 vcutting their path
and stifling a laugh,
escaping ever further;
There were sings, indications,
% n9 o5 Z) f/ e4 Yundecipherable, what does in matter.
( V9 {5 E5 k9 rThree years ago, perhaps
or even last Tuesday,
this leaf flying
from one shoulder to another?
Something lost and gathered.
Who knows, perhaps a ball already
! }; n& Z0 c, G: h0 u; O5 gin the bushes, in childhood?

* q, U5 H" E6 O) M" }( t% n9 X8 RThere were handles, door bells,
9 l0 m6 x+ |8 ]: n) [where, on the trace of a hand,
another hand was placed;
' Y- D1 U  Z5 v7 F: t2 Wsuitcases next to one another in the
left luggage.
3 l4 c# g6 \( R* eAnd maybe one night the same dream
/ b2 M: i3 w! w8 m: Q6 I  Dforgotten on walking;
1 g& k$ x9 g2 E- n  J. L% |4 {
But every beginning
+ J7 _7 `, O% D; fis only a continuation
. P, w: f6 U+ @, g' x' z* L9 Rand the book of fate is
, H/ }# n$ P2 A- u# Ualways open in the middle.
Translation from Polish by Roman Gren
  ^! v7 o. d# N# W. STranslation from French by Sarah Hardenberg

晓晓晓晓

向左走向右走里面有用这首诗的一节哎~!