This website is using cookies

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website. 

Szymborska, Wisława: Atlantis (Atlantyda in English)

Portre of Szymborska, Wisława

Atlantyda (Polish)

Istnieli albo nie istnieli.
Na wyspie albo nie na wyspie.
Ocean albo nie ocean
połknął ich albo nie.

Czy było komu kochać kogo?

Czy było komu walczyć z kim?
Działo się wszystko albo nic
tam albo nie tam.

Miast siedem stało.

Czy na pewno?
Stać wiecznie chciało.
Gdzie dowody?

Nie wymyślili prochu, nie.

Proch wymyślili, tak.

Przypuszczalni. Wątpliwi.

Nie upamiętnieni.

Nie wyjęci z powietrza,
z ognia, z wody, z ziemi.

Nie zawarci w kamieniu

ani w kropli deszczu.
Nie mogący na serio
pozować do przestróg.

Meteor spadł.
To nie meteor.
Wulkan wybuchnął.
To nie wulkan.
Ktoś wołał coś.
Niczego nikt.

Na tej plus minus Atlantydzie.



Source of the quotationhttp://web.archive.org

Atlantis (English)

They were or they weren't.
On an island or not.
An ocean or not an ocean
swallowed them up or it didn't.

Was there anyone to love anyone?
Did anybody have someone to fight?
Everything happened or it didn't
there or someplace else.

Seven cities stood there.
So we think.
They were meant to stand forever.
We suppose.

They weren't up to much, no.
They were up to something, yes.

Hypothetical. Dubious.
Uncommemorated.
Never extracted from air,
fire,water, or earth.

Not contained within a stone
or drop of rain.
Not suitable for straight-faced use
as a story's moral.

A meteor fell.
Not a meteor.
A volcano exploded.
Not a volcano.
Someone summoned something.
Nothing was called.

On this more-or-less Atlantis.



Source of the quotationhttp://palc.sd40.bc.ca

Related videos


minimap