A Letter To Mother

Are you still alive, my dear granny?

I am alive as well. Hello! Hello!

May there always be above you, honey,

The amazing stream of evening glow.

I"ve been told that hiding your disquiet,

Worrying  about me a lot,

You go out  to the roadside every night,

Wearing your shabby overcoat.

In the evening  darkness, very often,

You conceive the same old scene of blood:

Kind of in a tavern fight  some ruffian

Plunged a Finnish knife into my heart.

Now calm down, mom! And don"t be dreary!

It"s a painful fiction through and through.

I"m not so bad a drunkard, really,

As to die without seeing you.

I"m your tender son  as ever, dear,

And the only thing I dream of now

Is to leave this dismal boredom here

And return to our little house. And how!

I"ll return in spring without warning

When the garden blossoms, white as snow.

Please don"t wake me early in the morning,

As you did before, eight years ago.

Don"t disturb my dreams that now have flown,

Don"t  perturb my vain and futile strife

For it"s much too early that I"ve known

Heavy loss and weariness in life.

Please don"t teach me how to say my prayers!

There is no way back to what is gone.

You"re my only joy, support and praise

And my only flare shining on.

Please  forget about your pain and fear,

and don"t  worry  over me a lot

Don"t go out  to the roadside, dear,

Wearing your shabby overcoat.

1924