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Seifert, Jaroslav: A Wreath of Sonnets XV (Věnec sonetů XV in English)

Portre of Seifert, Jaroslav

Věnec sonetů XV (Czech)

Praha! To chutná jak hlt vína,
i kdyby byla v sutinách
a kdybych ztratil vlastní práh,
krví se zalkla její její hlína,

z těch nebudu, kdož opouštějí,
budu tu čekat s mrtvými
od jara pozdě do zimy
jak ten, kdo čeká u veřejí.

Kdyby smrt volal opět sýček,
kdyby Bůh na nás zanevřel,
jediná slza v řasách víček

tu kletbu nad střechami zlomí.
To, co na srdci leželo mi,
já pro vás přece zpívat chtěl.



Uploaded byRépás Norbert
PublisherViněta Miloslav Troup, sazba a tisk Jaroslav Picka (samizdatové vydání)
Source of the quotationPraha a věnec sonetů. Básně z let 1945 - 1949. Sbírka Monumenta genii bohemici, sv. 4.
Publication date

A Wreath of Sonnets XV (English)

Prague! That's a sip of wine with flavour,
and were she levelled with the ground
and my own home could not be found,
and were she soaked with blood, no braver,

I won't be one of those who're leaving,
I shall be waiting with the dead,
from spring to winter, without dread
till the locked gates at last will swing in.

If the old owl our Death were calling,
if God His wrath on us did bring,
a single tear from Her eye falling

would break the curse above the spires.
Of all my hopes and heart's desires
it was for you I wished to sing.



Uploaded byRépás Norbert
PublisherToronto : Larkwood Books Sixty-Eight (first published March 1952), ISBN: 0-88781-189-2
Source of the quotationA Wreath of Sonnets: Věnec sonetů
Publication date

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