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Poetry

This Year

By Ryszard Krynicki
Translated from Polish by Alissa Valles

This year
I bore no fruit

only leaves
that give no shade

I’m afraid, Rabbi,

I’m afraid, Lord,

that a hungry

weary man curses me

on the endless road
to Jerusalem

English

This year
I bore no fruit

only leaves
that give no shade

I’m afraid, Rabbi,

I’m afraid, Lord,

that a hungry

weary man curses me

on the endless road
to Jerusalem

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