And we were standing ...

And we were standing

                                 all so unsightly

in the middle of the steppe,

                                  just as we are.

Along with ourselves -

            without noticing ourselves.

Snow stormed in on us.

Beyond the measure,

                  beyond all our strength,

so to be yourself...

We were drowning...

                  to the knee,

                            and to the chest...

And there was a woman

          looking on from the outside -

                                               Sphinx -

with the eyes without sorrow...

And to the point of unlimit...

                               snow stormed in

                                                  on us.

                           26 September 2021

© Olena Zakharchenko, 2025