THERE ARE YET TINY THINGS
(ALE SĄ JESZCZE SPRAWY DROBNE)
There are yet tiny things: birds’ fly
shaking canes, shine of the dawn
many colours of fruits by morning time
and wind in trebles and basses is flying by
and my unfashionable desk, my tiny lamp.
I will never leave my table, my workplace,
even for all the gifts, for all the Titian’s art,
as it’s my faithful friend from the daybreak,
but when the night comes …
1953
[© English translation 2010-2020, Mikołaj Gałczyński]