Válek, Miroslav: Tree (Strom in English)

Čierny dub chodí po lese
Sám ako prst
dupe do zeme
trasie hlavou
nemá pokoja
 
Nájde most
prejde do mesta
šliape po trávnikoch
vráža do stien
rúca domy
zakrýva si oči
volá o pomoc

Vlasy dupkom
hovoríte:
Čo sa zbláznil?
Taký dobrý strom!

Hovoríte! Hovoríte!
Sú ešte iné veci
dobráci!

Čo spraví človek
vytrhnutý z pôdy v ktorej žil
vyvrátený od koreňov
sám ako prst
zúfalý?

Hľadá svoje miesto na zemi?
Hľadá pokoj?
Hľadá pekný konár čo sa nezlomí
hľadá strom?

Čierny dub chodí po lese
Vyhýbajte sa mu!

The black oak is walking around the forest.
As alone as a leper,
he is stamping on the ground,
shaking with the head,
he can’t get peace.

He finds a bridge,
comes to town
trampling on lawns
bumping  into walls
knocking-down houses
covering his eyes
crying for help.

Hair standing on end
you are saying:
Has he gone mad?
Such a good tree!

You are saying! You are saying!
There is even something else
my good fellows!

What shall a man,
torn from the ground where he used to live in, do,
uprooted,
as alone as a leper,
desperate?

Does he seek his place on the Earth?
Does he seek a peace?
Does he seek a nice branch which won’t break,
does he seek a tree?

The black oak is walking around the forest.
Try to avoid him!