Virginity
By Anna Swir
One must be brave to live through
a day. What remains
is nothing but the pleasure of longing—very precious.
Longing
purifies as does flying, strengthens as does an effort,
it fashions the soul
as work
fashions the belly.
It is like an athlete, like a runner
who will never
stop running. And this
gives him endurance.
Longing
is nourishing for the strong.
It is like a window
on a high tower, through which
blows the wind of strength.
Longing,
Virginity of happiness.
Anna Swir, “Virginity” from Talking to My Body, translated by Czeslaw Milosz and Leonard Nathan. Copyright © 1996 by Czeslaw Milosz and Leonard Nathan. Used by permission of Copper Canyon Press, www.coppercanyonpress.org.
Source:
Talking to My Body
(1996)