Like a summoning alarm bell sound heavy strides in the night, - That means, we must leave and bid a farewell without a word. The untrodden paths along stamped horses, horses, Unknown to which end carrying away the riders. Our time is different, evil, but look for happiness as in olden times! And in pursuit we fly after it, that runs away. Only by this race we lose our best comrades, At full tilt we don’t notice, that the comrades are not beside us any more. We shall long take the lights for fires, It will be long that the squeaking of boots seem illomened to us, Children’s games will be with old names of the war, And people will long devide into ours and the enemies’. And when the din, the burning and weeping is over, And if our horses under us become tired to run, And if our girls change the greatcoats for dresses, - Don’t forget that time, don’t forgive and don’t give up! ..
© Elisabeth Jelinek. Translation, 2018