Is something wrong? Everything like always... The same blue skies, the same air, The same woods, the same water... Only he did not return from the fight.         He was awqardly quiet, sang out of rhythm, Spoke of different things, did not let me sleep at night. He woke up before the dawn, But yesterday he did not return from the fight. It feels empty right now, but, well, never mind... I just noticed there were two of us. As if wind blew off the fire, When he did not return from the fight. The spring came, as if escaped the prison. I mistakenly called his name, "Friend, got some fire?", but no answer came. Yesterday he did not return from the fight... Our dead will not leave us to pain, Our fallen are our guardians. The skies are reflected in a forest, And trees are standing all blue. We had planty of place in our dug-out, We had time running for both of us, Now everything is for me alone, but I feel this was me Who did not return from the fight.
© Gulnara Elrod. Translation, 2007