biełaruskaja . anhielskaja
. rasiejskaja
Ryhor Krušyna
IN FRONT OF A
MIRROR
Joyous
laughter, cap askew,
And
a collar loosely opened.
Youth
did peek at me before
In
the mirror—oh, but now…
Someone
else’s image unappealing shows,
Happiness
is gone forever.
Stylish
hat, alluring colors…
None
replace one’s age and throes.
Cheerful
necktie, not too plain,
But
no joy within me.
Withered
look and rancid smile,
Beg
one’s fate, but all in vain:
Give
me back that former mirror!
Let
again repeat
My
youth, my laughter, cap askew
And
a collar loosely opened.
Translated
from Belarusian by Ihar Kazak
Translation of Ryhor Krušyna’s
“Pierad lusterkam” (1954)
from his
Selected Works (NY — Munich: 1957)
Copyright © Ihar Kazak
Reproduced with the permission of
the copyright owner