Once, half a life ago
I promised a good-looking affable young girl,
A prima ballerina in Baku,
Just for a single rapturous embrace
To forward her from Lithuania a snow-white piano
With rosy keys.
I said that my old homeland Lithuania
Was paved with them and I myself had three of them at least.
She gazed into my eyes and saw that I was damn sincere,
I did not lie, perhaps I did not tell her the whole truth,
But did not cheat her (I eagerly believed in what I said),
And she unfalteringly trusted me.
My youth has gone!
A whole long life has passed,
But that rash promise – haunting as a dream –
Is unredeemed as yet.
Now I’d be willing to repay her.
Unfortunately, in Lithuania there’s not a single
White piano with a rosy keyboard left (How odd!
At that time there were heaps of them!).
I beg you all who have or saw one, let me know,
I will be glad to overpay:
It is my debt of honour after all –
A sensible old age has to redeem
What senseless youth has ever promised.
(Albinas Zukauskas)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, Dreams Poems, Truth Poems, Honor Poems, Sincerity PoemsBased on Keywords: keyboard, prima, good-looking, unredeemed, lithuania, ballerina, unfalteringly, overpay, baku