As long as nothing can be known for sure,
\n(no signals have been picked up yet),<\/p>\n
As long as earth is still unlike
\nThe nearer and more distant planets,<\/p>\n
As long as there\u2019s neither hide nor hair
\nOf other grasses graced by other winds
\nOr other treetops bearing other crowns,
\nOther animals as well grounded as our own,<\/p>\n
As long as the local echo
\nHas been known to speak in syllables<\/p>\n
As long as there\u2019s no word
\nOf better or worse mozarts,
\nplatos, edisons out there,<\/p>\n
as long as our inhuman crimes
\nare still committed only between humans,<\/p>\n
as long as our kindness
\nis still incomparable,
\npeerless even in its imperfection,<\/p>\n
as long our heads packed with illusions
\nstill pass for the only heads so packed,<\/p>\n
as long as the roofs of our mouths alone
\nstill raise voices to high heavens \u2014<\/p>\n
let\u2019s act like very special guests of honour
\nat the district fireman\u2019s ball,
\ndance to the beat of the local oompah band,
\nand pretend that it\u2019s the ball
\nto end all balls.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t speak for others \u2014
\nfor me this
\nmisery and happiness enough:<\/p>\n
just this sleepy backwater
\nwhere even the stars have time to burn
\nwhile winking at us<\/p>\n
unintentionally.<\/p>\n
______________________________________<\/p>\n
Translated by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh and appears in Szymborska\u2019s <\/em>Map: Collected and Last Poems<\/strong><\/a> (public library<\/a>).<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Maria-Wislawa-Anna-Szymborska-196x300.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n