Why is everything not right? Everything is just the same The same sky, blue as always The same forest, same air - same water again But he did not return from the combat Now I can’t understand Which one of us was right In our arguments, with no sleep or rest I started missing him only now When he didn’t return from the combat He would fall silent for no reason, and sing out of tune He always spoke of something else He wouldn’t let me rest He got up with dawn And yesterday - did not return from combat Lately the spring broke free, as though from a cell I called him by mistake "Friend, leave me a smoke" - But no answer came Yesterday he did not return from combat That it’s empty now It does not matter at all I just noticed that we were two For me it was a wind that blew the fire out When he didn’t return from the combat Our dead - they will not leave us in peril Our fallen - they stand on watch The sky is reflected in the forest like water And the trees stand blue and tall We had space enough for the two of us And the time was flowing for both Now it’s all for myself, but it seems as though it was I who did not return from combat
© ?. Translation, 2003