Our Old Song by Napoleon Lapathiotis

OUR OLD SONG

By N. Lapathiotis
Translated by Alex Moskios

The old song
We used to hear,
Now that everyone is gone
Who will say it to live on?

Since my heart forever lost you,
I didn't think it possible
I could hear it anymore!
And yet lo! the other day –

At days end, as I recall,
With a strange moon up hi,
Clear and so far withal-
As I was aimlessly walking,

In the neighborhood of old,
I heard it one more time,
In the spot we used to go!
Recognized it when I heard it,

The old song I love so much,
Even though it didn't sound
Like the happy song we sang.
For it wasn't now spreading
Its sweet longing anymore,

But was groaning and moaning
A voice lost forever more.
And it felt, I can't say,
As I heard it there again,
But all around and inside
Were black and mere pain

That I started walking faster,
In that bitter night so dread,
With eyes looking down
As if seeing a dear friend dead....