An Old Man’s Logic (Continued) pg. 57

Why are you marrying off your son so early

Before he arrives at understanding?

“Hm,” said the old father to this

“My plan’s not going to change-

When he arrives at understanding

He won’t get married at all.”

Advice!

When a dowried young lady’s

Reciprocating love you read

Kneel down without shuffling around and beg

“O lady, unite with me”

Exploit love for yourself

Exploit as long as [she’s] favorable

And perhaps she won’t even

Give you her hand for a minute

[But] forge a marriage on the heat

As long as the weather is favorable

Let [her] quietly marry[1] herself off

But her dowry- that’s a shame!

---

[1] Literally “take herself [in marriage]”

Verse Compositions, Well-Wishing And Toasts (Continued) pg. 56

Unconquered hope in evil times

Is a virtuous wife to her husband

6.

The stars shine little in life

Little the songs, the flowering roses

More the clouds, and sorrowful shadows

More the pain of a storm of tears

Well, for you, lady, I sincerely wish

To send a wreath of flowers as an offering

May in your life much flowering

Sow happiness under your feet

May your life be may time

Eternal spring, lasting paradise

An Old Man’s Logic

A certain father, a man of consequence

With a bald head and a grey chin

Wanted to marry off his son

But he was [too] young for marriage

Someone called to his attention

From amidst the crowd of his acquaintances

Verse Compositions, Well-Wishing And Toasts (Continued) pg. 55

But when they already stand on foreign soil

And he has begun[1] to live among foreign people

When a gloomy mist obscures the future

The present torments, or bores

And the past only bears forth in tears

Then tears are relief in sorrow

The only [relief] that I can manage, the only [relief] that I feel

Is, in solitude, to think about you

Until the mainstay of the patient, the faithful

God at last takes pity

And unites the separated forever

If we loved each other forever

How sweet the tears could be then

The sole translation of feelings

O my love! When will we, when

Will I cry such tears?

Because what could be, in this eternal life,

Sweeter than to live with a faithful companion

In sorrow, consolation, calm in accident

Salvation in tribulation, relief in deficiency

---

[1] Or “I have begun”

Verse Compositions, Well-Wishing And Toasts (Continued) pg. 54

Time will tell you my thoughts sincerely

And reveal the love secret until that moment

Give [me] at least [your] hand at that leave taking

It will confirm this, my declaration

I love Temira, because [she is] worthy of love

She lives virtuously, has a good-hearted soul

Perhaps her heart, which she today forbids me

Perhaps with faithful steadfastness I will turn it

Something says wait out the course of events

I was omened to suffer for such hope

5.

When people of heaven decree

To one going to a distant land

You must give up everything beloved

Give up perhaps forever

It’s bitter in the heart, and tears flow in

With a hot flame, one’s face burns

Will you remember the last happy hours

When we say goodbye to each other?

Verse Compositions, Well-Wishing And Toasts (Continued) pg. 53

Happy is he who deserves, begs for or summons in secret

The touch of your refined face

3.

Wherever I turn, I fall upon your image

I see it in the flowers, wept to, it sings to me

When I talk to it[1] about my sorrow

It seems to me that it’s mocking my tears

Meager consolation, to no longer have the hope

That I purchased at so much effort

The sun burnt[2] me, the wind blows from a wintry quarter

Is it possible to live that which I once lived?

[My] cry is not dead, although wounded

I am well-wishing, as I was to you always

My unpleasant fate has not changed me

Have sweetness in the life that I lost

Temira! Why, when happiness is gone[3]

At the same time, the memory of it does not perish

4.

O, that virtuous hour, Temira

The hour in which you separate from me

---

[1] Literally “to which”

[2] Literally “heated”

[3] Literally “passes away”

Verse Compositions, Well-Wishing And Toasts pg. 52

Verse Compositions, Well-Wishing and Toasts

1.

That you, handsome lady, I honor and esteem so much

Don’t marvel, on the contrary, women are worth that honor

And when you desire to have an explanation of these sentiments of mine

Desire to read these words of an affectionate poet

“The first smile moved my mouth towards a woman

My first tears a woman’s breath dried

With the first word of her speech she shaped my caress

To a woman I first stretched out my arms

And when in the fog of childhood I recognized [my] mother

Not knowing love- I loved a woman

2.

When, Maryanna, I sketch words in your book

It’s just that in them I express what I’m thinking and feeling

I saw that, desiring your kind life,

Nature gave you an abundance of its gifts

A living wit, quickness of spirit

Something lovable in every movement

Courtesy in deed, the grace of beauty

Capable of, masterful at, warming ice

Remember Me! pg. 51

Remember Me!

Remember me, when the fading dawn

Casts purple flowers on the earth

Remember me, when the silent nights

Wraps Heaven [and] stars around these rocks

And when the spell of remembrance rolls down around you

Or you close your eyes in a dream

                                    Remember Me!

Remember me, when forever

The necessity of cruel[1] fate separates us

And though it leaves us sometimes far apart in the world

To a broken heart love is still an eternity

Now to whisper softly in the midnight hour

Longing for you from [my] heart, [my] voice flows

                                    Remember Me!

Remember me, when somewhere

A lonely, silent grave swallows life’s torments

When a white flower flares up over the tomb

When sorrow over the future seizes you

My spirit comes flowing amidst the evening stillness

And your fading heart hears a voice

                                                Remember Me!

---

[1] Literally “iron”

Krakowiaks (Continued) pg. 50

You don’t have, you don’t have anything[1]  XXXVI. A thousand of my thoughts

Like a young boy                                           Stand in front of me

Come close to my lips[2]                               I would give you my heart

Like to a berry                                                If you loved me in return[3]

When a girl                                                    XXXVII. If I could be yours

Of fifteen years already loves                        I would tell myself

In vain they[4] guard her                               That I had found both beauty

For she has been stolen[5] by a boy              And happiness[6] in you

By my little carriage                                     XXXVIII. Shine, moon, shine

Everyone is running around                         The stars all around it

I love the young lady                                    If you were to be nice [to me]

Who is happy                                               That would be nothing to me

Little green groves                                       XXXIX. Thoughts, my thoughts

Shoot up tall                                                 Lead me to you

Tell me, girl                                                 O, my Marysia

If I am loved by you                                    Hug me to you

Tell [me], then, tell me                                L[7]. A grey pony, grey 

Tell me in secret                                          With a light-colored mane

If you love me or not                                  Although I’m not pretty

Because it’s not nice to deceive                  I’m a living boy

---

[1] Literally, “you don’t have it”

[2] Literally “kisser, mouth”

[3] Literally “were mutually inclined”

[4] Literally “he guards”

[5] Literally “gotten lost [through]”

[6] Or, “good fortune”

[7] Sic for XL?

Krakowiaks (Continued) pg. 49

XXI. There is nothing better                  XXVI. The little lark declares

For a young boy                                     The quail urges

Than to take a wife                                 Hold on, girl

Be it ever so good                                   To [your] first love

XXII. Although we separate                   XXVII. On that side of the river

Each to a different direction                    The oats are turning green

Still our hearts                                          If you have to marry poorly

Are not separated                                     The story gets sticky

XXIII. Blow, wind, blow                         XXVIII. Fly, little bird, fly

From the southern side                              From field to field

If she loved me                                          Ask my love for me

I would not want the crown                      If she will be mine

[1]XXIV. I would not want to be king     XXIX. Although I don’t have good looks

Not even Lord of the world                       I am good-natured

O, captor, the way I love                           I will pray to God

XXV. To be loved in return                      That I will be[2] happy[3]

Walking four miles of forest alone           XXX. The water comes down[4] the mountain

I won’t be going after a widow                Downhill, it turns

I prefer a girl                                            To learn how to love

                                                                 That’s the best work

---

[1] Because verse XXIV, as labeled, has only three lines, and the second line of verse XXV, as labelled, is extra long, I’m guessing the first line of verse XXV, as labelled, is actually the last line of verse XXIV, and that the second line of verse XXV, as labelled is actually two lines, that is, the first two lines of verse XXV.

[2] Literally, “become”

[3] Or, “fortunate”

[4] Literally “from”

Krakowiaks (Continued) pg. 48

XI. If I could sing                                                       XVI. How many times I sighed

I would sing without end                                            Girl, to you

To the forest, to these rocks                                        If [I had sighed] thus to God

To the stars, to the moon                                             I would be long since in Heaven

XII. It’s not a good thing                                            XVII. Count, girl

To sing of Krakowiaks                                                The little stars in the sky

You might gladden some                                             That many [steps] I tread out

[And] make others angry                                             A footpath to you

XIII. To you I am a boy- a boy                                   XVIII. The pine-forests[1] began to whisper

Of homeland nature                                                     The forests began to rustle

I sing of myself                                                            XIX.[2] When there was love

[So] get up!                                                                  Those times passed

XIV. I loved you, girl                                                  XIX. Fly, little bird, fly

Like the apple of my eye                                            Put your feathers in a cross

And you left me                                                          O, captor mine, girl

Already in the first year                                              You look at another

XV. How that is sorrow to the heart                            XX. The great water flows

Like a wound in the heart                                           And the little mill grinds

When she who is loved                                               Not everyone is happy[3]

Doesn’t love [you]                                                      Who possesses much

---

[1] Literally “Game preserves” ?

[2] Crossed out in original

[3] Or, “fortunate”

Krakowiaks pg. 47

Krakowiaks[1]

I. That I might get to know a real Pollack                  VI.  A How I’ll characterize for you

I will dance and sing about Krakowiaks for you[2]    Krakowiaks [is] by [their] feet

II. I am a Krakowiak to you                                        They go around with straw on their boots 
Of Krakowian nature                                                   And [making] crashes on the floor

Whoever meets me on the street                                  VII. You play a Krakowiak [song]

 I’m all over him quickly                                              Because it’s cool[3]

III. I’m a Krakowiak to you                                         I love all the young ladies

     [And] whoever doesn’t admit it                              And none of the married women

     [There are] seventy punches                                   VIII. Not only does he sing

     In my fist [for him]                                                 Who is happy

IV. I’m a Krakowiak to you                                         He also hums to himself

      It’s all money-belt[4]                                              Who is sad about something

     Under[5] my shirt                                                     IX.   Come what may

     A red pea-pod[6]                                                      He calls himself a Krakowiak

V. I’m a Krakowiak to you                                            Any gulp he drinks down

     I was born in Krakow                                               And already he’s lifeless

     I was seven years old                                                X.     Maybe I must have

     When I started chasing girls                                      Not been in Krakow

                                                                                        If I wasn’t able

                                                                                        To sing[7] a Krakowiak [song]

---

[1] In a different handwriting. “Krakowiak” can mean: A person from Krakow, or a dance from Krakow, or a song from Krakow.

[2] Or, “Perform a Krakowiak Dance/Song for you

[3] Literally nice

[4] Literally “Horseshoe-shaped change purse”

[5] Literally “at”

[6] Or, “cocoon”?

[7] Or, “Sing about a Krakowiak [person]”