Verses translated by Julia Kalman
Please make sure to spend a minimum of 30 seconds reading my story.
I truly cherish the interaction of authentic readers. Thank you very much!
What is Love?
Oh speak! What is love?
In a word, the world!
An endless tale,
told by ghostly mouths;
In a tiny tear
A vast ocean,
In a soft sigh
A swirling hurricane;
Heaven and hell
In a single glance,
An all-consuming pain,
An all-encompassing joy;
A lightning bolt in a touch,
That electrifies you with power,
Makes you ecstatic or
Makes you miserable;
The present and the future
In a handshake;
In a single kiss
A rewarding world ablaze,
A magical fabric
Of dream and reality,
In a moment
The whole eternity;
A master novel of creation,
The poetry of life, –
The high song of the soul,
The symphony of worlds;
A mysterious darkness,
A ray of divine light,
An angel and a demon,
An everything and a nothing!
(Hermine Cziglérvon Èny-Vecse, 1840–1905)
Only Loving, Your Heart is Truly a Heart
What is the world if with you,
it is not bound by love?
What is the world if in it,
you have not found love?
Do not accuse in your pain
the heart’s most beautiful impulses.
Only loving, your heart is truly a heart,
what would it be without love?
If you did not gain love,
how can you measure
if you can win happiness,
if you have ever possessed happiness?
(August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben, 1798–1874)
Please, clap, engage, and… stay tuned for the next story…! But, most importantly, a profound thank you to each one of you. Your unwavering support has been invaluable.
Julia Kalman 