Abraham Sutzkever - The Blade of Gra** from Ponar lyrics

TRANSLATED BY MAIA EVRONA I kept a letter from my hometown in Lithuania, from one who still holds a dominion somewhere with her youthful charm. In it she placed her sorrow and her affection: A blade of gra** from Ponar. This blade of gra** with a flickering puff of dying cloud ignited, letter by letter, the faces of the letters. And over letter-faces in murmuring smolder: The blade of gra** from Ponar. This blade of gra** is now my world, my miniature home, where children play the fiddle in a line on fire. They play the fiddle and legendary is their conductor: The blade of gra** from Ponar. I will not separate from my hometown's blade of gra**. My good, longed-for earth will make room for both. And then I will bring a gift to the Lord: The blade of gra** from Ponar. Translated from the Yiddish