Oksana Lozova-To a little Nestor-Ukr-to-Eng

Original:

Оксана Лозова

МАЛОМУ НЕСТОРУ

Будеш, Несторе, л?тописцем?
Що опишеш – сумну столицю,
Чорн? села, м?ста розбит??
Б?ди б?дних? Свав?лля ситих?

Ст?льки горя – ? ще замало? –
Гр?м за громом… а гради, шквали,
А п?вн?чн? в?три морозн?!..
Материнськ? невт?шн? сльози...

Посмутн?ли дом?вки наш?,
Бо п?шли на в?йну найкращ?,
Як же хочеться ?м – напишеш –
Голос неба почути в тиш?!

Пригорнути дитя до серця
? забути смертельн? герц?,
? засипати вс? окопи,
? почати новий рукопис.

Нагада?ш: сл?п? прозр?ли
? погнали лихого зв?ра,
? жили на земл?, як люди…
Напиши! ? нехай так буде!

Translation:

To a little Nestor

by Oksana Lozova

Will you become a chronicler, Nestor?
What would you write about the sad capital resting,
Black villages, cities in ruins,
Poor's miseries? Or how's lawlessness doing?

It’s still not enough and so much for troubles…
Write all about thunders and hails with some squalls, and double
Your ink for the cold northern winds and their spears…
Describe mothers’ pain and unfortunate tears...

Our homes are the lips of sadness
For the best ones fight wars with madness.
Heaven’s voice is so deep in silence!
Write it down in the time of violence.

Find someone who’ll embrace a baby
While calamity’s deadly sagging,
And fill up all the evident trenches,
Start a new manuscript adventure.

You recall and a blind gains his vision,
Flees away something wild and vicious.
Let’s just shake on it and make a deal!
Write it down! Let it be! Let it be for real!