Magda Umer - O Romeo

After evening meal, dishes washed already
sleeping lays a swaddled child
that fate gave me as consolation
for another mistake of two bodies.
The alarm is already set for six,
hazily, dreamily reflects me mirror.
Only I still stand watch
in my upstairs window
and shout into my slumbering street:

O Romeo, the sweet-singing falcon!
O, the longing of generations of maidens!
I have opened for you the window
onto my loneliness,
o, Romeo!,
o, Romeo!
Are you down there?
Are you down there?

And below, as usual, there is no one.
Perhaps, the train from Verona is too expensive?
Perhaps, he had set off on horseback,
and the horse treats him not kindly?
Perhaps he has no coat for our climate ?
Perhaps, he is just finishing off Tybalt?
Perhaps, a mean-disposed Capulet
had embezzled his amulet,
So into the sleeping street I shout again:

O Romeo, the lover of generations!
O Romeo, it is my turn already!
I have opened for you the window
onto my loneliness,
o, Romeo!
Are you down there?
Are you down there?

And below the silence answers.
And on my forehead concern for the future,
what will be in a month, what with age,
when snow will cover your roads.
Every day, Romeo, the weather is worse
and each day I am less young,
I will run off to the cloister or submit to another,
so that I may then be able to shout into the street:


You aren't there, Romeo, below,
o, the Godot of generations of maidens,
we still open the windows,
in each window a lonely figure
looks out into the emptiness
into which you had carried her off.

BEM