found on the subway

[agnesofiowa]

If there is something to desire,
there will be something to regret.
If there is something to regret,
there will be something to recall.
If there is something to recall,
there was nothing to regret.
If there was nothing to regret,
there was nothing to desire.

vera pavlova trans steve seymour

Comments

[rain628]

an interesting concept on an intellectual level, but what does it do for me emotionally?

[agnesofiowa]

well, dunno. i actually was moved by it...i think because it is simple, condensed and ruse like, and reminds me of something i think/feel about often. but we all read/experience poems differently, especially stuff in translation.