When Winter Passes
Last night, before
Sleep would overtake us,
Mother sang us a lullaby.
Her chant was soft and sweet,
And her words would repeat
That when winter passes,
Dandelions will bloom,
And when that happens,
We should make a wish
Under the shining moon.
That wish is bound to come true
If our fate follows.
Today, under a concrete ceiling,
In our mother’s lap, we hear
All of our neighbours pray,
Both foreign and dear.
They’re people just like us,
Driven out of their homes,
All of them seized by fear.
Winter is passing, and yet we feel cold,
Out in the streets, with no place to go.
Mother sings not, only prays for our dad,
And all the other women pray for other men.
In just a day, what has changed? - I wonder…
My sister Anya is too young to understand.
I can’t say I’m old enough
Since I couldn’t follow dad
When men went to defend us, or so they said.
I wanted to help, but dad told me: “Stay here,
Protect your mom and sister,
Until I come back.”
I believe he’ll come back,
But why does my heart still shiver?
I don’t know what’ll happen…
Will we ever sleep
Under the stars again?
Will mother ever sing
Her lullaby again?
Will anything go back
To how it was back then?
Winter has not passed,
And dandelions don’t bloom.
Yet I still look up
At the concrete ceiling
Beyond which I hear
Thunder in the sky.
But instead of droplets,
It’s a missile rain,
That deafens our ears.
I hear people’s prayers,
And I make a wish
Even if it’s not spring yet
And the moon cannot be seen,
That this night ends
And then, when the sun rises,
My father and men return.
I wish that when it happens,
There be no more thunder
And no missiles for the rain.
No mist of fiery powders
Overshadowing the stars,
And no cries of pain
Or those of alarm.
All the while I pray,
I sit here and wonder
Since it’s a black day
Why does no help
Come in our way
As was promised to our land?
Or so the elders would say…
So, where are they?
Mother always said
That in unity lies strength.
Maybe, if they come,
We can finally stop
This deafening missile rain,
And quell our aching pain?
If they never do come,
And it proves an empty promise,
I’m putting my whole fate
In this wish that I’ve made,
And trust wholeheartedly
That, by Lord, we’re saved…
