Chmel, Karol: A back pass (Malá domov I in English)

utkvelá hudba zostala
tam
kde nikdy nebola: išlo
len o to aby let
vystihol vtáka...

spomienkou
stokrát prihrievané tance:
čaj si z nich dolieva
a zdá sa sladší:
viac v šálke ako v čajníku
ale o ústach
ani slovo!

an immutable music stayed
in that place
where it never was: what matters
is only that the flight
should do justice to the bird...

from memory
the dances are warmed up a hundred times;
tea is poured from them
and seems sweeter
in the cup than in the pot
but of the mouth
not a word!