Mr Cogito Thinks of Returning to the City Where He Was Born by Zbigniew Herbert

Mr Cogito Thinks of Returning to the City Where He Was Born

If I went back there

probably I wouldn’t find

even a shadow from my house

nor the trees of childhood

not the cross with an iron plate

the bench where I whispered incantations

chestnuts and blood

nor a single thing that is ours 

all that was saved

is a flagstone

with a circle drawn in chalk

I stand in the centre

on one leg

the moment before jumping 

I cannot grow up

although years go by

and planets and wars

roar above 

I stand in the centre

motionless as a statue

on a single leg

before the leap to finality 

the circle of chalk turns red

like old blood

while all around

piles of ash are growing

up to my shoulders

up to my mouth

(Translated by John and Bogdana Carpenter)