When my old father
comes to visit me
I try to measure
always with his eye
the town, the world,
myself
and things.

There’s nothing inessential
now about his face —“
a ripe gold ear of wheat
where all
is in its proper place,
where all is clear
and good
with simple grace.

Today he came from town
and said:
“No unity of grass I found…
but unity of stone instead.”

And later
with a sigh to me confided:
“So cleverly
did we divide the world
that now
we do not know
how to unite it.”

Translated by Lionginas PaŁ¾Ł«sis

Kai mane aplanko senas mano tÄ—vas,
AŁ¡ tarytum jo akim
Ł½iŁ«riu į miestą,
Į pasaulį,
Ä® save,
Ä® daiktus.

Jo veide
Jau nieko nÄ—r bereikalingo –
Lyg prinokusioj
Geltonoj kviečio varpoj –
Viskas aiŁ¡ku,
Paprasta,
Tikslu
Ir gera.

Ł iandiena grįŁ¾o jis iŁ¡ miesto
Ir pasakÄ—:
– ÄŒia nÄ—ra Ł¾olÄ—s vienybÄ—s.
Ir pridŁ«rÄ—:
– Bet uŁ¾tat yra akmens vienybÄ—.

Vakare jis
Atsidusęs tarÄ—:
– Tai matai,
IŁ¡sidalijome pasaulį,
O dabar –
NeŁ¾inom, kaip sudÄ—ti.