p

A Ballad of Going Down to the Store

 

First I went down to the street

by means of the stairs,

just imagine it,

by means of the stairs.

 

Then people know to people unknown

passed me by and I passed them by.

Regret

that you did not see

how people walk,

regret!

 

I entered a complete store;

lamps of glass were glowing,

I saw somebody – he sat down –

and what did I hear?  what did I hear?

rustling of bags and human talk.

 

And indeed,

indeed,

I returned.

 

Miron Bialoszewski (trans. By Czeslaw Milosz)