Ivan V.Lalić - Lake in autumn

 

The days up in the hills are becoming thinner and thinner,

The snows are approaching us closer and closer,

And the forests are coming down, down

Gathered in ginger and gloomy herds

To the lake, to the hesitation

Of its own picture, frightened to 

Merge with the unknown

Like one's spirit and breath merge into song 

Oh, you sweet fear of what was seen

And what's coming back unseen,

Oh, you passion that has to be paid

With the fever of the things we can never get past - 

What about the years? Perhaps it's the hours

Which move the scales;

The unknown measure has taken its toll

And the cymbals are still hesitating:

Did we gather our weights?

The forests are coming down into the lake

And the memories grow distant

Into light, into fears, into snow