Under the dark Mariupol skies,
You’re the brightest of shooting stars.
Shedding your light on us trembling,
while the iron grads were roaring.

The cosmos is watching, you said:
It will all be good in the end.
If not, then it’s not yet the end.

Biting your lips to refrain your devouring smile,
Overwhelming the world’s suffering with your warmth.
Saying my name in your bewitching voice – I listen –
You are confident or unconscious, innocent.

The dance floor burns under your feet,
You transform chaos into beauty,
And mumblings into poetry.

Suddenly taking a great escape, you Alice,
Sin zapatos!
Sin plata!
Sin teléfono!
Laughing so loud – wild cookie – at your own malice.

You’ve drunk from every Nile on earth,
Let tongues insanely shape your mind,
Planted seeds in our lonely hearts.
Did we fail you, were we so blind?

This balagan, no! we cry, ache.
Oh dear, the cosmos has failed.
Yes, it is the one to be blamed.

We’ve lovingly crowned you princess.
Alas, they pay for the world’s sins.
Forgive us for not protecting you,
May the cosmos be kinder to you.

I do not feel freed
Liar – I’ve been detached
Abruptly taken off the trunk
Of all my hopes and convictions.

Nothing left to hold on to
No sunshine to turn my face to
Yet, still light and green a leaf
Senselessly flying in the winds.

I could hit the ground tomorrow
Or survive decades in a row.
It’s just air, whatever the path
I will not leave a seed behind.