An Old Song (Yiddish)
.
In the blossom-land Japan
Somewhere thus an old song ran
Said a warrior to a smith
“Hammer me a sword forthwith.
Make the blade
Light as wind on water laid.
Make it long
As the wheat at harvest song.
Supple, swift
As a snake, without rift,
Full of lightnings, thousand-eyed!
Smooth as silken cloth thin
As the web that spider spin.
And merciless as pain, and cold.”
“On the hilt what shall be told?”
“On the sword’s hilt, my good man,”
Said the warrior of Japan,
“Trace for me
A running lake, a flock of sheep
And one who sings her child to sleep.”
.
(Tr: Marie Syrkin)
Yehoash (Solomon Bloomgarden)
(16th Sept 1872 – 10 Jan 1927)
Yiddish Poet, translator.
Poem Courtesy:
https://archive.org/details/anthologyofworld0000vand/page/234/mode/1up
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