ROSE FRAGRANCE from CITY AND LONELINESS
by Kostis Palamas
Translated by Alex Moskios
This year's harsh winter brought me to my knees,
For it found me without youth and caught me without fire,
And time and again as I walked the snowy streets,
I felt I would fall and die.
But yesterday, as I was encouraged by the laugh of march,
And I went to find again the roads to the ancient sites,
The first fragrance of a distant rose in my path
Brought tears to my eyes.